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Takata presentation: farebox revenue and ridership rise after Via management, committee urged to send item to full body
Summary
Takata leadership told the committee that farebox revenue and ridership have increased since Via assumed management, citing a 23% increase in active riders, 66% average daily rides growth, and improved on-time pick-up (94.8%) and drop-off (82.1%). Commissioners asked about off-site dispatching, local hiring and transparency; the committee agreed to move the item to the full commission.
Takata’s director gave the Personnel Finance Committee a data-driven update on transit operations under Via’s management, reporting steady increases in farebox revenue and ridership and improved operational metrics.
“The 1st thing is on the 2nd page… there is a trend line that is consistently on the increase,” the presenter said, and added that every month in the current fiscal year has outperformed the same month in the prior year. The presenter summarized several performance metrics: active riders in the dispatching system rose about 23% since late March; average daily rides increased roughly 66% between early March and the most recent completed week; passengers per vehicle revenue hour rose to 3.8 from a 2024 baseline of 1.8; pickup on-time performance stood at 94.8%, with drop-off on-time at 82.1%.
Officials said changes stem from Via’s app, training and management support. The presenter said Via brought an app and stronger management systems that increased data availability and operational training. “Part of what Via brought in was stronger training, stronger management because they are able to have all of these resources that they can use at an international level,” the presenter said.
Commissioners pressed on customer-service issues. Several raised concerns that some calls are routed to off-site (overseas) dispatchers and that callers with accessibility or language needs had difficulty communicating. The presenter acknowledged off-site fallback dispatching exists and said local dispatchers remain the first option; she pledged to discuss language and accessibility issues with Via and to explore solutions, including better English-speaking coverage and ways to accommodate callers who lack phone numbers.
Questions about local hiring were also raised. The presenter said the general manager hired to oversee operations is local and that many Via-hired drivers live within the service area; she committed to providing more precise staffing numbers to the chair upon request.
The committee agreed by consensus to move the Takata presentation and related millage discussion to the full commission for consideration.
Next steps: Takata and city staff will provide requested staffing and local-hiring figures and follow up on off-site dispatch-language/accessibility concerns before the full commission considers the matter.
