SOCIAL SERVICES TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COUNCIL

MINUTES November 2, 2022

Present Voting Attendees:

Ted Ceasar Consumer

Mike Hack Consumer

Camilo Garcia Imperial County Workforce Department

Mitzi Perez ARC-IV

Sarah Enz Area Agency on Aging (AAA)

Maricela Galarza CTSA–ICTC

Gustavo Gomez CTSA–ICTC

Non-Voting Attendees:

Cesar Sanchez IVT/IVTAccess/IVTRide/IVTMedtrans

Helio Sanchez IVT

Jose Guillen IVT MedTrans

Karla Pacheco IVT Access Karla Aguilar IVT Ride

Liz Santucci Caltrans

1.Ms. Enz called the meeting to order at 10:07 a.m. A quorum was present. Introductions weremade.

-Hybrid meeting.

2.SSTAC Remote Resolution.

-Ms. Galarza explained the purpose of the implementation of the resolution. The resolution willbe required for this meeting and future meetings until further notice.

-SSTAC members reviewed the resolution and motioned to approve it as is. (Perez, Hack),Motion Carried.

-Required signatures will be collected after the meeting.

3.Minutes were adopted for November 2, 2022. (Ceasar, Hack), Motion Carried.

4.CTSA Reports:

Mr. Gomez had the following updates:

-Staff attended a few events during October;

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➢ Westmorland Community Resource Fair

➢ Calipatria Safety & Wellness Fair

➢ Niland Community Health Resource Fair

- Stuff a bus event has come back this year to provide passengers the opportunity to use IVT services for a dry or canned item in place of a monetary fare. This event will be from November 1st to the 18th.

- Veterans Day event has come back this year to provide veterans an opportunity to use IVT, IVT Access, and IVT Ride services free. The veteran passenger just has to show a military ID. This event will run from November 12th to the 18th.

- QR codes linked to our digital rider's guide will be placed at bus stops and different locations within Imperial County.

- The free fare program is expected to return on January 2023. Providing free fares to all passengers on all Transit services.

- Staff will be creating a survey similar to the UTN survey to gather additional feedback for transportation gaps and needs. The survey will be posted on social media, and websites and shared through email methods. In addition, we will be taking verbal comments at our during our office hours.

- There's been a rise in IVT Ride and IVT Access services registrations (IVT Access 20-30 Applications received and certified)

- ICTC staff and First Transit staff will be distributing IVT MedTrans brochures in a variety of cities and facilities.

- Ms. Gomez asked if any agencies need transit services resources they can reach out to staff to be provided with more.

Ms. Galarza had the following updates:

- Regarding Stuff a bus and Veterans day events, flyers will be emailed to SSTAC members to share with other agencies or individuals.

- Regarding the survey in development, once completed, the link will be shared with SSTAC members to share with additional individuals or agencies.

- The new riders guide is available on the IVT website (presented to SSTAC), hard copies orders were placed and will be distributed as soon as possible. The updated version has a color approach to help identify each route for passengers, in addition to displaying a picture of the tickets accepted to the pertaining route. The QR code that Mr. Gomez mentioned is also available at the end of the rider's guide.

➢ Mr. Hack asked if face masks were still enforced on buses.

• Mr. Gomez responded, no, face masks are optional on all services.

5. Review of Agencies’ Missions and Clientele:

- Ms. Enz, AAA/Public Administrator Office, the agency provides;

➢ Offers senior services to 60+ individuals.

➢ Provides transportation in partnership with ICTC transit services (IVT Ride, IVT Access).

➢ Offers senior Nutrition sites/ Home delivery meals.

➢ Is a resource information center for seniors/representatives. The assistance line is always open for individuals with questions about the availability of senior services. The contact person is the Information & Assitance Coordinator, Monica de Leon.

➢ Offers the AAA-Ombudsman program, advocates for residents that live in long-term care facilities, skilled nursing care facilities, and residential care facilities.

➢ Offers Payee and public guardian/conservatorship programs for mentally incapacitated individuals.

First Transit;

- Operates a variety of public transit services provided in the Imperial County area, contracted by ICTC. Public Transportation services provided;

➢ IVT MedTrans, non-emergency transportation to medical appointments in San Diego. There are no requirements to use the service.

➢ IVT Ride provides a senior 55+ with curb-to-curb local transportation within the city they live in. Service available; Calexico, Heber, El Centro, Imperial, Brawley, and West Shore.

➢ IVT Access is an ADA complimentary public transportation service based on the IVT fixed route. It’s a curb-to-curb service provided to individuals with a disability that affects their mobility and that cannot use the fixed route due to their disabilities.

➢ IVT is the fixed route public transit service available to everyone. It consists of paying a fare, a variety of fares available depending on the route taken. It is a transportation service that consists of fixed stops and times.

- Ms. Perez, ARC-IV, provided a review of the agency;

ARC-IV is a private non-profit formally established in 1973. The agency provides SDRC-referred clients with residential and work programs. The agency provides transportation services for its clients to get to work sites and certain events. The mission is to serve individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. The agency is located at 298 E. Ross Rd., El Centro CA. ARC-IV provides a variety of programs; vocational training, employment, transportation (except medical), etc.

- Mr. Garcia, Imperial County Workforce Development, provided a review of the agency services;

➢ Job search assistance.

➢ Vocational Training.

➢ Work experience program for individuals to develop skills.

➢ Provides individuals with transportation needs with bus tickets.

➢ The agency has a variety of 3 office locations (Calexico, El Centro, and Brawley) including plus two satellite locations (Winterhaven and Calipatria).

➢ There are no requirements to receive the agency’s services, although if individuals receive social services benefits it rushes the process.

6. Transit Operator FY 2022-23 Quarter 1 Reports:

Imperial Valley Transit

- Mr. H. Sanchez presented the Quarter 1 report for the service.

- There is a slight increase in ridership as time goes by.

- Stuff a bus event is ongoing and will be accepting dry and canned food items from November 1st through the 18th, in the form of payment to use any IVT bus route. There are boxes placed on the service buses to help gather the food received and then all the food will be delivered to the Imperial County food bank at the end of the event.

IVT Access

- Ms. Pacheco presented the Quarter 1 report for the service.

- The service will not be participating in the Stuff a bus event but it will be participating in the Veteran’s day event. Veterans will be able to utilize the service for free by showing their military ID to the bus driver. The event will be from November 12th to the 18th.

IVT Ride

- Ms. Aguilar presented the Quarter 1 report for the service.

- The service is still proving free fares, sponsored by Area Agency on Aging.

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IVT MedTrans

- Mr. Guillen presented the Quarter 1 report for the service.

- Service hours are the same and both buses are available. It is in response to demand.

- Mr. Guillen asked if agencies need service brochures to contact Mr. Gomez and some will be delivered to their offices.

7. General Discussion

- Mr. Hack asked if the bus still stops in front of Vons.

➢ Mr. Guillen responded that for the moment there is construction so the bus is not stopping there until the construction is complete.

- Mr. Hack asked if a new bus stop infrastructure will be placed in front of the El Centro Library.

➢ Mr. Gomez responded that it depends on the City of El Centro whether there will or not be new infrastructure placed there for the bus stop.

• Mr. H. Sanchez added that the Green line is still stopping on the side of Vons. The only locations interrupted currently are Walmart bus stops and Aten/La Brucherie bus stop. There are temporary bus stops to pick up passengers that are near those locations and more information is on the service websites.

8. Adjournment

- The meeting adjourned at 10:51 a.m. (Enz), Motion Carried.

- The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at the Imperial County Transportation Commission Office, 1503 N. Imperial Ave., Suite 104, El Centro, CA 92243.