The ability for transit agencies to provide services continues to grow more challenging. Therefore, the vision to the year 2030 must change in light of the changes in technology, community needs, regulations, funding opportunities, minimum wage increases, changes to traditional funding streams and other drivers of change. These changes do not have to be obstacles, if the transit agencies are able to successfully navigate the changes.
Kern COG understands that the primary mission of transit agencies is to move people from one place to another safely, efficiently. Technology over the past decade has developed to where zero emission transit buses – battery electric and fuel cell – are becoming a viable option for transit fleets of all sizes. Additionally, transit agencies are increasingly turning to mobile apps and shared mobility options as a means to carrying out their public transportation mission.
TRANSITions Transit Symposiums have been held annually since 2018 to bring together transit agencies with the California Air Resources Board, technology experts, funding program managers, pilot project managers, and vendors to discuss how we can work to advance clean, safe, efficient public transportation.
Every agency must develop a Transit Asset Management Plan (TAM) if it owns, operates, or manages capital assets used to provide public transportation and receives federal financial assistance under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53 as a recipient or sub-recipient. Each transit provider must designate an Accountable Executive (49 CFR 625.5) to ensure appropriate resources for implementing the agency’s TAM Plan and the Transit Agency Safety Plan. Golden Empire Transit District and the City of Delano, both designated by the Federal Transit Administration as urbanized area recipients of Federal Transit Administration funds, prepared a TAM Plan and memorialized the Plan with Kern Council of Governments through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
A Triennial Performance Audit is designed to be an independent and objective evaluation of the recipients of Transit Development Act (TDA) Article 4 funding as a public transit operator, providing operator management with information on the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of its programs across the prior three fiscal years.
Triennial Performance Audits Fiscal Years 2018/19 – 2020/21
At the center of the transportation planning process is the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Updated on a 4-year cycle, the RTP is a long-term (20+ year) blueprint for the region’s transportation system, and encompasses projects for all types of travel, including freight, intermodal and aviation. The plan includes the Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) designed to help reduce emissions from passenger vehicle travel. The plan is accompanied by a program level environmental document that analyzes cumulative impacts, and the regional air quality conformity analysis required by federal regulations.
The Federal Transportation Improvement Program (FTIP) is a plan for the incremental implementation of the long-range 2022 Regional Transportation Plan. The FTIP presents to federal funding agencies manageable components for the funding of long-term plans.
On July 18, 2024, the Kern COG Board of Directors adopted the 2025 Federal Transportation Improvement Program and corresponding 2024 Air Quality Conformity Analysis.
Under the requirements of the federal transportation spending bill (MAP-21) states and metropolitan planning organizations are required to annually monitor performance measure progress through the statewide and metropolitan planning process for the following items:
PM 1 – Safety PM 2 – Bridge and Pavement Condition PM 3 – Travel Time Reliability TAM – Transit Asset Management Plan
In addition, Kern COG includes an Integrated Performance Measures Analysis as an appendix to the most recently adopted Regional Transportation Plan. For an overview of the Integrated Performance Measure process, see this Performance Measure Case Study.
