Agenda Item #13.6
For Council Meeting of: April 21, 2026
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RACHEL EDE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS TRANSIT DIVISION
SUBJECT: SANTA ROSA CITYBUS PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCY SAFETY PLAN UPDATE 2026 AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
The Transportation and Public Works Department recommends that the Council, by resolution, adopt the Santa Rosa CityBus 2026 Public Transit Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) update to meet the requirements of the Federal Transit Administration’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan Final Rule. This item has no impact on current fiscal year budget.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this action is to meet the requirements set forth in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which amended the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) safety program at 49 U.S.C. § 5329(d) (Section 5329(d)) by adding requirement for public transit agencies receiving Urbanized Area Formula Program (49 U.S.C. § 5307) to create and maintain a public transportation agency safety plan. As part of maintaining this plan, the City meets with a safety committee to update the plan’s performance metrics and/or determine if further safety enhancements or protocols are warranted based on the performance of the previous year. After this meeting the Council must approve the plan even if no changes are made.
GOAL
This item relates to Council Goal #4 - Foster a Safe, Healthy, and Inclusive Community by ensuring City employees successfully operate a safe public transit system for the public to use.
BACKGROUND/PRIOR COUNCIL REVIEW
The PTASP rule became effective on July 19, 2019. The rule applies to all operators of public transportation systems that are recipients and sub-recipients of federal financial assistance under the Urbanized Area Formula Program (49 U.S.C. § 5307), including Santa Rosa CityBus. Additional requirements were included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021. The Public Transit Agency Safety Plan must include the following elements:
Safety performance targets
Safety management policy
Establishment of a Safety Committee comprised of equal numbers of management and labor representatives of front-line staff Discussion of methods for safety hazard identification, risk assessment, and risk mitigation Discussion of safety promotion
Designation of staff accountable for various safety-related responsibilities Protocols for communication of safety-related data and information Transit agencies are required to complete an annual review of the PTASP in collaboration with the Safety Committee established under PTASP rules. City Council approved the 2025 update to the PTASP at its July 22, 2025 meeting (RES-2025-27).
ANALYSIS
In February 2026 the Santa Rosa CityBus Safety Committee met to review and discuss updates to the PTASP. The Committee reviewed performance against safety metrics and current safety practices in place. No changes were recommended to safety practices. However, the Committee did agree to update PTASP performance metrics to set a new goal of zero reportable injuries (per National Transit Database definitions) on fixed-route and paratransit services given recent strong performance in this area.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378, the recommended action is not a “project” subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it does not have the potential to result in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. The action consists solely of the approval of an update to the City’s Public Transit Agency Safety Plan to comply with federal requirements and does not authorize construction or any physical modification to the environment. In the alternative, the recommended action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the recommended action may have a significant effect on the environment
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution – Exhibit A – 2026 Public Transit Agency Safety Plan
PRESENTER(S)
Matthew Wilcox, Transit Planner
SANTA ROSA CITYBUS PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCY SAFETY PLAN UPDATE 2026 PAGE 3 OF 3