A new Governance Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was approved by the Caltrain Board of Directors at a special meeting held June 23.
The MOU establishes a permanent, separate executive director position for the agency, as well as five Caltrain-specific direct reports, while the San Mateo County Transit District (district) will be repaid for its initial investment in Caltrain.
“This agreement allows us to move forward as a united Caltrain,” said Caltrain Board Chair Steve Heminger. “With electrification around the corner and ridership returning to the system, we can now turn our full attention to delivering quality rail service to the people of the Bay Area.”
Under this new agreement, the new executive director will report directly to the Caltrain Board of Directors rather than the district’s general manager/CEO. Five new positions have been created that will report directly to the executive director.
The district will be repaid $19.8 million for its initial investment in Caltrain, along with additional resources ($15.2 million) for the delay in payment of the $19.8 million and the district’s agreement to assign some of its rights as managing agency to Caltrain. The district will relinquish certain real property interests related to Caltrain and will continue to provide it with shared services.
The SamTrans Board of Directors voted to accept the MOU on June 21. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has scheduled a vote for July 19, with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voting on July 26. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has scheduled a vote for Aug. 4.
