I wrote reactions to the policy suggestions that will be presented today at the SacRT board meeting: SacRT board 2026-11-09 4.1 customer service. What I did not write about is how the board should approach this.

These rider-facing policies are too important to leave to staff. Though it has never been verbalized, it seems that staff intent is that staff develop and implement the policies without board approval. The implementation of a zero-tolerance policy for all violations, without board knowledge or approval, supports this concern.

SacRT develops extensive documents, with approval by legal counsel, for a huge number of board decisions. Most of these end up on consent agenda, but some are the subject of public hearings. The current topics on strollers, carts, and bicycles are far more important than most of what is addressed by the board.

No policies on strollers, carts, and bicycles should be implemented without approval by the board.

The policies must include:

1. Clear language about what the policy is.
2. Clear language about what the potential penalties for violation are.
3. Clear information about what will be communicated to riders about the policy. This would include signs posted on light rail and buses, verbal announcements at light rail stations and on buses, and public outreach efforts designed to reach all riders.
4. Clear information about what Transit Ambassadors and other SacRT staff will communicate to riders about the policy, and appropriate responses to perceived or actual violations.
5. Documentation of actual safety or customer issues that justify the policy.
6. Documented review by the SacRT Mobility Advisory Council.

Let me be blunt. I do not trust SacRT staff to develop and implement policy on strollers, carts, and bicycles without board approval. Agenda item 4.1 is ‘for information only’, and nothing indicates that board approval will be sought for these suggestions.

Though these policies have been on the SacRT Mobility Advisory Council meeting agendas for several months, it was deferred all but one of those months, and the discussion on the remaining month was very brief. Again, this is on the board agenda when it has not previously been on the MAC agenda in any meaningful way. The next MAC meeting is November 19.