Res 2023-167R approving the Fare and Service Change Policy for the San Marcos Public Transit Services per section 5307 Small Urbanized Area Formula Grants guidelines

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Fare Increase and Service Change Policy The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requires grantees to develop a local process to solicit and consider public comment before a fare increase or major service reduction.The City of San Marcos (City) is a direct recipient of Section 5307 Small Urbanized Area Formula Grant funds and must comply with all requirements and guidelines set by the FTA.The City is the Direct Recipient of federal funds for the San Marcos Urbanized Area (SM UZA),which includes parts of three counties (Hays, Caldwell, and Guadalupe Counties) and two cities(San Marcos and Martindale) in Texas,with the City of San Marcos being the dominant demographic. The San Marcos City Council is the SM UZA's governing body.Any increases in fares or major service reductions for the public transportation services in the SM UZA will be considered by the San Marcos City Council during a public hearing as defined in this policy. Current Fare Policy: SMTX the Bus local fixed routes are fare-free($0.00)for anyone looking to ride public transportation. Paratransit services are fare-free ($0.00)for individuals qualifying for the service. For more information on the Paratransit service, please contact Capital Area Rural Transportation Systems at (512) 805—7433. Maior Service Reduction Policy: SMTX the Bus local fixed routes and paratransit schedules are approved by the San Marcos City Council before each fiscal year with the approval of an Interlocal Agreement(ILA)with the service provider. Maps of the route alignments and service schedules are included in the ILA as attachments. The City of San Marcos defines major service reduction as eliminating more than 25%of service hours or miles for any given route or service, like Paratransit service. The following activities are not considered a Major Service Reduction: • Route changes to address construction or road closures • Added or reduced service operated during emergencies Public Participation: The City recognizes the importance of public participation and collecting public comments regarding changes to the public transportation system.The City will follow the steps to post a public hearing during a regularly scheduled San Marcos City Council meeting to collect feedback from the community regarding any fare increases or major service reductions. When holding a public hearing,the San Marcos City Council must follow the Texas Open Meetings Act.The City will post the San Marcos City Council agenda outside City Hall and on the city website (www.sanmarcostx.gov/agendacenter)at least 72 hours before the public hearing. Members of the public can sign up for the public hearing to speak about,for, or against the fare increase or major service change prior to Council consideration of the item.