Category: Policy Analysis

Caltrain Funding Plan

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Client: Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG)

Caltrain is one of many transit operators in the Bay Area that continues to experience budget strain because of the instability of State and local funding sources.  Its present sustainability challenge is particularly acute due to its reliance on voluntary pass-through contributions from three other local operators, who are themselves grappling with unprecedented deficits.  A permanent source of dedicated funding for Caltrain must be found if this valuable and otherwise successful transportation service is to continue.

SVLG is a policy advocacy organization that has long championed improved public transit in the Silicon Valley area to support economic growth and quality of life in the region.  They launched a ‘Save Caltrain’ campaign to address the multiple areas that impact Caltrain’s financial health, and they requested support from a number of industry experts, including Transportation Analytics and our lead on this project, Nancy Whelan Consulting.  Our team analyzed over 20 potential funding sources to determine which options are most suitable in terms of factors such as technical feasibility, economic efficiency, and revenue yield.

MAPS: Mobility, Access, & Pricing Study

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Client: San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA)

Transportation Analytics was part of the PBS&J-led consultant team that conducted the preliminary feasibility evaluation of implementing congestion charging in the City of San Francisco.  The Study Team explored how different charging schemes might be able to mitigate traffic congestion, reduce air pollution, and develop a revenue stream to help improve local transit operations.  In December, 2010, the SFCTA Board accepted the initial study and recommended moving forward with the next stage of planning activities.  Transportation Analytics had a multi-faceted role on the project including:

  • financial analysis of potential pricing scenarios, including a revenue snapshot screening tool and a 30-year cash flow model
  • providing expertise in financing alternatives
  • modeling the financial impact and sensitivity of different pricing policies
  • supporting the analysis of transit system performance impacts
  • communicating the implications of various operating assumptions
  • preparing major portions of the final report

Sponsorship Program Feasibility Study

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Client: Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District

Transportation Analytics worked closely with the firm Sponsorship Strategies to investigate the feasibility of creating an innovative philanthropic-style sponsorship program whereby individuals and corporations could contribute towards to the preservation and enhancement of the Bridge as a tourist attraction, as well as support educational and interpretive features for visitors.  Transportation Analytics developed a scenario model allowing for the comparison of different combinations of features, benefits, and public-private partnership structures.  The model was able to demonstrate the implications of different policy options for Board-level review and formally quantify the true revenue potential of this controversial proposal.