Meeting Date: July 7, 2026
To: Legislative Subcommittee
From: Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director
Staff Contact: Jason Haber, Intergovernmental Affairs Director [email protected], 442-339-2958
Subject: North County Transit – San Diego Railroad Legislative Update District: All
Recommended Action
Receive an update from North County Transit – San Diego Railroad regarding the agency’s current legislative priorities and advocacy efforts and provide feedback.
D
iscussion
North County Transit – San Diego Railroad (NCTD) is a public agency created in 1975 with a mission to operate an environmentally sustainable and fiscally responsible transit network that provides seamless mobility for all while achieving organizational and operational excellence.
Serving more than 10 million passengers every year across five transit services, including the Coaster commuter rail, Sprinter hybrid rail, Breeze bus system, Flex on demand, and Lift paratransit, the agency envisions a comprehensive transit and mobility system that connects all North County San Diego residents and visitors to a healthy, economically vibrant, and thriving region.
NCTD’s Board of Directors is composed of one member of each of the city councils of the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar, Encinitas, Escondido, Oceanside, Solana Beach, San Marcos, and Vista, one member from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, and one non-voting member from the City Council of the City of San Diego. Carlsbad Mayor Pro Tem Priya Bhat-Patel currently serves as Board Chair.
NCTD staff will present an informational update on federal and state legislative activity impacting North County Transit – San Diego Railroad (NCTD).
Next Steps
None.
LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE
July 7, 2026
Item #2 Page 1 of 1
North County Transit
– San Diego Railroad
(NCTD) Legislative
Update
Carlsbad Legislative Subcommittee
July 7, 2026
Agency Overview
• NCTD is one of three systems in the nation that
operates heavy rail (COASTER), hybrid rail
(SPRINTER), and bus operations (BREEZE)
• NCTD owns and maintains the San Diego
Subdivision of the LOSSAN Corridor
• NCTD is a Railroad of Record and Rail Common
Carrier (designated by FRA & STB)
• San Diego Subdivision / Escondido Subdivision
• Amtrak / Metrolink / BNSF / STRACNET
1 Agency Overview
• FY 2027 Operating Budget and
Capital Improvement Program
adopted by Board of Directors
on June 18, 2026
• $180.1 million to support NCTD
operations and $49.2 million
for capital projects
• Guiding principles – “North
Star”
2 Service Area
• NCTD’s service area includes eight
cities in San Diego County,
unincorporated and rural areas, and
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton,
with COASTER service extending to
downtown San Diego.
• The total population of NCTD’s service
area is estimated to be 951,394.
• Total systemwide boardings were more
than 8.4 million in FY 2025, a 10.6%
increase compared to the previous
fiscal year and 6.0% above the
budgeted goal.
3 Grant Strategy Considerations
4 Project Status
Alignment with Strategic Goals
Grant Program Objectives and Project Eligibility
Local and Stakeholder Support
Priority Projects
5 SPRINTER Fleet
Replacement
$337 million unfunded need.
Includes fleet replacement, SOF
improvements, and platform
modifications.
SPRINTER Corridor
Improvement Project
$536.3 million unfunded need.
Includes signal modernization,
Positive Train Control, and 9.5
miles of double track railroad.
Eastbrook to Shell
Double Track
$80 million unfunded need.
Replacement of San Luis Rey
River bridge and 0.6 miles of
double track railroad.
2026 Legislative Areas of Focus
6 Surface Transportation
Reauthorization
Public Transit Funding State and Local
Funding Mechanisms
Enabling Legislation Streamline Transit
Processes
Federal Update
Surface Transportation Reauthorization
• Multi-year funding and policy bill for transit, rail, highways, etc. • Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) expires September 30, 2026 – programs must be reauthorized
• BUILD America 250 Act (H.R.8870) introduced in the House of Representatives • Contains policies beneficial to NCTD: passenger rail excess liability insurance reforms, increased operating assistance, transit project streamlining • Allocates $580 billion over five years – IIJA provided $1.2 trillion • Moderate cuts for public transit, significant cuts for passenger rail programs • NCTD advocating for increased funding, including advanced appropriations (guaranteed funding)
7 State Update
Cap-and-Invest
• Program recently amended by CARB to address affordability concerns and industry leakage
• Revenues expected to decrease, cutting programs that support transit State Budget
• Deferred negotiations related to Cap-and-Invest appropriations • Excluded $230 million commitment for zero-emission transit projects Pending Legislation
• SB 741 (Blakespear) Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) –
SUPPORT
8 Questions?
9