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June 15, 2023 Board Meeting Staff Report No.: SR-23-06-023 <br />more flexible transportation option, helping reduce congestion along the <br />Interstate-5 corridor, and supporting regional goals to reduce vehicle miles <br />traveled and greenhouse gas emissions. The increased COASTER <br />service is funded with TransNet funds (8.1% formula) earmarked for <br />specific new transit services. <br /> <br />The first phase of increased COASTER service frequencies started on <br />October 25, 2021, which resulted in the addition of eight (8) trains per <br />average weekday. COASTER service was improved from 22 weekday <br />daily trips (and various weekend trips) to 30 weekday daily trips, 32 Friday <br />daily trips, and 20 weekend daily trips. The second planned phase, which <br />would have increased frequencies from 30 to 42 weekday daily trips, has <br />been suspended due to funding shortfalls in the TransNet program. <br />SANDAG identified a shortfall of funding in the TransNet program related <br />to service expansions implemented by NCTD and the San Diego <br />Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) and the parties agreed to cap <br />expansion of services. Therefore, NCTD lacks dedicated funding to <br />implement the second phase of COASTER frequency improvements. <br /> <br />NCTD has determined that it should optimize its current fleet to minimize <br />operating and capital costs and begin investing in its next generation of rail <br />technology that is assumed to be zero emissions locomotives and multiple <br />units. Additionally, NCTD’s plans for the next SPRINTER vehicle assumes <br />that it will be compliant with Federal Railroad Administration requirements <br />to support operations on the Escondido and San Diego Subdivisions. Staff <br />provided a detailed presentation on its future fleet plans to the NCTD Board <br />at its meeting of April 20, 2023 (Agenda Item No. 14). <br /> <br />NCTD staff conducted an analysis regarding the current COASTER fleet <br />and has determined that it has sufficient capacity with seven (7) train sets <br />to implement further COASTER frequency improvements based on the <br />reliability that is being achieved under the Technical Support and Material <br />Management Services Agreement with Siemens, albeit with a higher risk <br />factor if an accident were to occur or if the maintenance schedule was <br />impacted due to accident damage, capital program needs, or if reliability <br />issue(s) arise. With that said, staff does not believe that a new regional <br />sales tax will be in place over the next five (5) fiscal years. Accordingly, <br />staff believes it is in the best interest of NCTD to advance the <br />recommendations specified in this staff report. <br /> <br />Purchase and Sale Agreement with UTA <br />Subject to the terms and conditions of a proposed purchase and sale <br />agreement between NCTD and the Utah Transit Authority (UTA), NCTD <br />will sell five (5) bi-level cars manufactured in 1993 at a sale price of <br />$200,000 per vehicle (total of $1,000,000). The five (5) bi-level cars were <br />originally purchased by NCTD with local TransNet funds and UTA intends <br />to utilize local funds to purchase the vehicles. The sale price does not <br />include sales and/or use taxes and UTA is solely responsible for paying <br />and remitting the applicable sales taxes or use taxes to the applicable state <br />taxing authorities. Under the terms of the proposed agreement, UTA will