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Budget panel backs $89 million SFMTA contract for next-generation real-time rider information system
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee on Sept. 2 recommended the Board of Supervisors approve a not-to-exceed $89 million contract with Cubic Transportation Systems to replace Muni's aging NextBus system with new signs, an app and analytics aimed at improving arrival-time accuracy and equity in access to real-time information.
The Budget & Finance Committee on Sept. 2 voted to forward to the full Board of Supervisors a resolution authorizing a not-to-exceed $89 million contract between the Municipal Transportation Agency and Cubic Transportation Systems for a next-generation customer information system.
Jason Lee, SFMTA program manager for the project, told the committee the system would replace the nearly 20-year-old NextBus platform with a fundamentally rebuilt platform, new larger double-sided signs at stops and platform- and onboard-displays tied to a mobile app and analytics tools. "We are proposing a not to exceed contract of $89,000,000 with Cubic Transportation Systems," Lee said, adding the agency plans to launch the system by the end of 2021 and finish enhancements by 2023.
The agency presented the system as an equity and recovery tool during the COVID-19 era: it would display arrival predictions, crowding information, elevator and escalator status, and multilingual messages (including Chinese, Spanish and Tagalog). SFMTA said the contract includes maintenance for the expected 16-year lifecycle (initial six-year term plus two optional five-year extensions) and allows up to about 800 solar-powered signs if funding permits.
Supervisor Shamon Walton asked whether the new system would reduce wildly varying arrival-time predictions. "A big focus is improving the accuracy of predictions," Lee replied, and the new signage'including maps showing vehicle position'should give riders more confidence that a predicted vehicle is actually en route.
Budget Analyst staff summarized the funding plan for the project and recommended approval; the report shows $25.4 million in capital expenditures would be funded from MTA fund balance, with the remainder paid from MTA operating revenues. Kat Carter of San Francisco Transit Riders called in during public comment to urge approval, saying better real-time information and crowding data would materially improve riders' ability to make travel decisions.
Chair Sandra Lee Fewer moved the item to the full Board with a positive recommendation; Supervisors Walton and Rafael Mandelman joined her in a roll-call aye vote.
The Board of Supervisors will consider the contract at a later meeting and the SFMTA said it would seek additional board approvals before exercising optional contract extensions.
