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File Number: 23-506 and 3:00 - 7:00 pm). LINKS provides critical “first and last mile” connection between BART and employers in West San Leandro, serving major employers including the Coca-Cola bottling plant and distribution center, Torani, Walmart, and Costco, as well as small employers. There are over 800 employers and 15,000 employees in the LINKS service area. LINKS also provides transportation to retail centers, including the Westgate Center and Marina Square, and the Davis Street Family Resource Center, which services 10,000 low-income people each year. With 20 years of service to the community, LINKS has provided over 3 million rides. Participation in the BID helps businesses comply with the BAAQMD Commuter Benefits program. In 2014, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) implemented the Commuter Benefits Program that requires all employers with 50 or more full-time employees to provide commuter benefits to their employees. To comply with the Program, employers must select one (or more) of four commuter benefit options and register with BAAQMD. Participation in the LINKS BID satisfies Option 3 (“Employer Provided Transit”) under the requirements, allowing businesses to save time and money when compared to creating their own in-house program. Analysis LINKS Annual Report Summary The Annual Report includes a review of the LINKS shuttle performance, planned operations, budget and a recommendation for the 2024 BID assessment. Following is a summary of the Annual Report: LINKS Budget Funding for the LINKS shuttle comes from the Business Improvement District (BID), grants, the City of San Leandro and advertising. BID revenue is funded by annual per-employee fees charged to businesses within the district through the business license process. While BID revenue declined significantly year over year in 2020, in years 2021, 2022, and 2023 revenue has increased back to pre-Covid levels of approximately $400,000 per year. Advertising revenue is received from the Marina Square Shopping Center, which purchases advertising space on the LINKS buses. The major source of grant funding for LINKS is the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) Comprehensive Investment Plan (CIP) Program. SLTMO received a 2022 ACTC CIP grant for operation of the LINKS shuttle for the periods of FY 2021-2-22 through FY 2025-2026 in the amount of $1,180,088. Although the full grant request was allocated, the matching requirement for this grant cycle went from 50% to 75% reducing the allowable request and significantly impacting the LINKS budget for the next five years. In May 2023, the Alameda CTC approved the SLTMO’s application for FY 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 CIP grant funds (funded by Alameda County transportation Measure BB & the Alameda County Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA)) in the amount of $331,000. The grant agreements are pending. The SLTMO projected a budget deficit beginning in FY 2022-2023 as a result of reduced ACTC grant funding, increased transportation costs and the potential for unpredictable drops in BID revenue. However, restructuring of the bus service into the Dual Loop configuration has allowed for the service to continue operating with reduced funding. Implementation of the Dual Loop configuration provides the most service under projected funding levels and reduces operational costs by approximately 50%, with the goal of stabilizing LINKS funding for the next five years. Page 2 City of San Leandro Printed on 12/21/2023