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Wake Transit Reimbursement Request Approval - GoTriangle Bus Operations FY 21, FY 22
Shelby Powell, CAMPO Staff
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The Wake Transit program is predicated on the fact that Wake Transit revenue sources will be used to support expansion in transit services in Wake County from what was existing in 2016 when the tax referendum was successfully passed.
One of CAMPO’s Lead Agency responsibilities is to review and approve reimbursement requests for GoTriangle to reimburse itself using Wake Transit funds. This is to add a check and balance system to lend transparency and accountability to the Wake Transit funds. GoTriangle, as Tax District Administrator, reviews and approves reimbursements from all other project sponsors (including CAMPO) that utilize Wake Transit funds.
In the 4th Quarter of FY 21, CAMPO determined that GoTriangle had not met its commitment to providing the 2016 baseline level of providing revenue hours, and, as such, CAMPO staff did not feel comfortable approving the reimbursement request since that would be a waiver of a foundational expectation that Wake Transit revenues should be used only for expansion past that 2016 level of service. The same issue arose in FY 22, where the baseline revenue hours were not met. CAMPO staff asked GoTriangle to bring this issue to the TPAC for a recommendation on the reimbursement since the Wake Transit funds would essentially be used in this case to pay for hours that would count toward that baseline revenue hour commitment. The reasons for the baseline not being met are attributed to lower ridership caused by pandemic closures and reduced travel, as well as the ongoing operator shortages that are necessitating reduced transit service hours.
The TPAC reviewed information provided by GoTriangle at its September and October meetings, and subsequently recommended approval for CAMPO to process the reimbursement request. CAMPO staff is bringing this recommendation to the Executive Board to finalize that approval since this is an unusual circumstance.
Additionally, GoTriangle and CAMPO are leading a working group to develop a more sustainable policy to deal with this issue in the future, and to better define expectations around the maintenance of effort for transit in Wake County with respect to using Wake Transit revenues.
Requested Action: Action Replace with requested action to show on the agenda