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Staff reports transit insurance cancellation, CARB exemption work and pending RFP for operations
Summary
TCTC staff told commissioners the transit operator's insurance was canceled and the operator is seeking replacement coverage; staff is also pursuing CARB exemption requests for zero‑emission buses and preparing an RFP for operations that may need a short contract extension for proper advertising and review.
TCTC staff alerted commissioners that the county's transit operator received a non‑renewal notice and the operator's insurance was canceled; the operator is actively shopping for replacement coverage and staff is working with the operator to evaluate continuity‑of‑service and risk‑management options.
Staff said the insurance matters have been partially addressed by shifting some lines to alternate carriers but that the operator is continuing to seek better coverage. A staff member named Christy Shepherd was identified as leading the effort to find replacement coverage and asked commissioners to consider any risk‑management support the commission could offer.
At the same time staff outlined ongoing work with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on exemption requests for zero‑emission buses. Staff said the county is seeking a multi‑year exemption to allow more time for fleet replacement planning and noted that many of the county's vehicles are heavier 'cutaway' units; staff said it is hopeful some cutaways will be exempted to ease the fleet conversion process.
Staff also reported that the operations procurement RFP is complete but must undergo FHWA/FTA procurement review and council review; because of review timelines staff may request a short extension of the current contract to allow adequate advertising time for the new RFP.
What was said: On insurance, staff stated plainly, “our insurance was canceled,” and explained that carriers have been shifted across different lines but ongoing shopping for replacement coverage is underway. On CARB, staff said they had asked for a three‑year extension and may be able to request more time to align vehicle replacement and facility work.
Next steps: Staff will continue to work with the operator and counsel on insurance replacement and with Caltrans/CARB/FTA on implementation details; commissioners did not take separate formal action on insurance or the CARB process during the meeting.
