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Agenda Report
July 13, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Finance Committee
FROM: Department of Transportation
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL AGREEMENTS
WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION
AUTHORITY (METRO) FOR THE RECEIPT OF $674,769 IN FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION (FTA) SECTION 5310 GRANT FUNDS
FOR THE PASADENA DIAL-A-RIDE MOBILITY MANAGEMENT
PROJECT AND PASADENA MYSTERY RIDER PROGRAM
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
I
1. Find that the proposed action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 21065 of CEQA and Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15301 of the State CEQA Guidelines, and as such, no environmental document pursuant to CEQA is required; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all agreements with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) associated with the receipt of $674,769 in reimbursable Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 grant funding for the implementation of the City of Pasadena Mobility Management Program supporting the Pasadena Dial-A-Ride program.
BACKGROUND:
Pasadena Dial-A-Ride is a shared curb-to-curb transportation service for residents living within the Pasadena Dial-A-Ride service area who are at least 60 years old or have a disability that prevents them from using regular fixed-route transit services. The City's Pasadena Dial-A-Ride service area includes Pasadena, Attadena, San Marino and the unincorporated area east of Pasadena. Over the next few years, this service area faces unique localized pressures that include navigating widespread community reentry and transit rehabilitation following the devastating Eaton Wildfire, and preparing for significant regional transit demands associated with the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic MEETING OF.07/13/2026AGENDA ITEM NO.10
Receipt of FTA Section 5310 Funding for Mobility Management and Mystery Rider Program July 13,2026
Games. To proactively address these challenges, the Department of Transportation applied for specialized grant funding to support service delivery and system readiness.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 grant program assists local agencies in enhancing the mobility of seniors and individuals with disabilities. As the designated regional recipient of these federal funds, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) administers a competitive solicitation to allocate awards within Los Angeles County. Under the 2025 competitive cycle, the City of Pasadena Department of Transportation successfully secured funding for two grant applications.
Pasadena Mobility Management and Coordination Project
This project introduces a three-year proactive outreach and travel coordination support for older adults and people with disabilities. Funding directly supports the addition of two full-time Customer Service Representatives to implement a program dedicated to helping specialized transit users navigate a changing local landscape. This initiative includes Travel Training designed to assist these individuals in learning how to use public transportation. In addition, the program will deploy the "Bridges of Hope to Pasadena and Altadena Transit Program," which provides assistance across various local mobility options for individuals returning to areas devastated by the January 2025 Eaton Wildfire. Concurrently, staff will deliver specialized transit training and transit coordination to support individuals with limited mobility during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Pasadena Mystery Rider Program
This grant secures funding for an oversight program focused on system performance and readiness on both Pasadena Transit and Pasadena Dial-A-Ride from the older adult passenger's perspective. The program will serve as a "mystery rider" program, similar to a mystery shopper program for buses, where trained riders anonymously take trips on the bus and report on the real customer experience so staff can spot issues and improve service. This program would be implemented on Pasadena Transit, Pasadena Dial-A-Ride, and the dispatch telephone line. The empirical data collected wilt directly measure driver performance, vehicle cleanliness, safety, and trip punctuality. This ongoing feedback will serve as a critical tool to monitor quality of service for individuals returning to fire-impacted zones and to fine-tune transit operations in preparation for the increased regional demand anticipated during the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
The acceptance of the FTA Section 5310 grant funding directly advances the City Council's Strategic Planning Goals. Specifically, it promotes the expansion of Mobility and Connectivity by lowering boundaries to public transit usage for fragile populations.
Expanding local travel training programs directly influences the target population's ability to navigate fixed-route options safely and independently, thereby encouraging non-auto travel and maximizing regional multimodal infrastructure. Furthermore, utilizing an 80% Receipt of FTA Section 5310 Funding for Mobility Management and Mystery Rider Program July 13, 2026
to 90% federal cost-reimbursement model preserves local transit capital reserves, exemplifying the City's commitment to Fiscal Responsibility and Governance.
ENVI RONMENTAL IMPACT:
The action proposed herein is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Section 21065 of CEQA and State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15378. The proposed action consists of administrative and procedural activities to execute grant funding agreements and deploy technical personnel and program tracking tools. The project involves no construction, physical expansions, or modifications to transit vehicle capacities, and will not cause a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change to the environment. Therefore, the proposed action is not a "project" subject to CEQA, as defined in Section 21065 of CEQA and Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
Since the action is not a project subject to CEQA, no environmental document is required.
Receipt of FTA Section 5310 Funding for Mobility Management and Mystery Rider Program July 13,2026
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this action will enable the City to obtain $674,769 in reimbursable grant funds through Metro to implement both program components over the three-years. The total cost of the program would be $778,633. The City requires a local match totaling $103,864 over the three years and the first year is included in the Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget. Both Community Service Representative positions were already approved in the Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget. The City is using Proposition A Local Return funds for the local match.
The following table presents a summary of the proposed source of funds that will be used for the program.
Proposition A Local Return Fund 208 (Local Match) $ 103,864 Federal Transit Administration Section 5310 Funds $ 674,769 Total Sources$ 778,633
Respectfully submitted,
Prepared by:
30AQUINT.SIQUES
Director
Department of Transportation
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Sebastian Andres Hernandez
Principal Planner
Approved by:
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Matthtew E. H^wkesworth
Interim City Manager