Transit Advisory Committee

Transit Advisory Committee — January 11, 2024

This was a regular meeting of the Transit Advisory Committee, held at Petaluma City Hall. Six of seven members were present; Dennis Pocekay was absent. The session covered two significant transit policy topics — fare-free service and microtransit — as well as an equipment purchase recommendation.

Approval of Minutes

Minutes from the December 14, 2023 meeting were approved without discussion.

Discussion of Fare-Free Transit Program

Staff Member Maria Arce presented an update on the city's Fare-Free Transit Program, walking the committee through goal alignment, existing discounted and fare-free offerings, potential benefits and tradeoffs, implementation planning, and next steps. The presentation appears to be ongoing in nature — this was a progress update rather than a final decision point.

Kris Rebillot, representing Age-Friendly Petaluma, offered public comment in neutral support of the program, signaling interest from the senior advocacy community while stopping short of a full endorsement. Committee members posed questions and gave feedback, which staff noted for consideration.

Committee Member Gail Abrams departed at 4:49 PM due to a scheduling conflict, though she had been present since shortly after roll call. No vote was taken on this item; it remains in the discussion and development phase.

Recommendation to Purchase ChargePoint Express Plus EV Bus Charging Equipment

Staff Liaison Hall presented a proposal to purchase ChargePoint Express Plus battery-electric bus charging equipment through the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Program, a mechanism that allows government agencies to buy equipment at pre-negotiated contract pricing without a separate competitive bid process. This purchase is part of the city's broader effort to support electric bus operations.

The committee discussed and asked questions about the purchase before voting to recommend that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the purchase and allowing staff to execute all necessary documents.

Vote: 5–0 in favor (Alden, Culross, Heal, Kaljian, Quint). Abrams and Pocekay were absent. Motion made by Vice Chair Kaljian, seconded by Committee Member Quint.

Discussion of Microtransit Service

Staff Member Arce presented an update on plans to introduce microtransit service in Petaluma — a flexible, on-demand transit model that complements fixed bus routes. The presentation covered background context, use cases, target demographics and land use scenarios where microtransit performs well, community outreach efforts, potential service zones, and next steps.

Two public commenters spoke in support: Nickola Frye, representing the Senior Advisory Committee, and Kris Rebillot, both emphasizing the value of flexible service for seniors and others who may not be well-served by fixed routes. Committee members provided feedback, which staff recorded. No vote was taken; this item is still in the planning and community engagement phase.

Transit Manager Report

Staff Liaison Hall reported positive news on two fronts: ridership on both fixed-route buses and paratransit services has increased, and transit staff recently attended a Transit Corridor Priority Workshop hosted by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), which could inform future service and infrastructure planning.

The committee skipped formal Committee Comment to allow time for this staff update.

Key Takeaways