perhaps one day nashville will have an urban core

this is the proud third generation franklin resident?

Hey, what’s up Nashville!? We’re trying out the WeGo Airport Express (18) today. We’ll see how ambitious I am about posting as we go, but you can count on a trip summary outbound and inbound on this thread.

an office full of cubicles with rows labeled: B - benefits R - recruiting T - training

you thought you knew what BRT stands for

an ad for a Transportation Demand Management Summit panel titled “Indianapolis and Nashville: The Challenges of Growing Transportation Systems Quickly” including Steve Bland, CEO of WeGo Transit Jennifer Pryz, CEO of IndyGo Carrie Black, Public Affairs Officer at IndyGo Diana Alarcon, NDOT Director Moderator Jessica Dauphin, President/CEO of Transit Alliance of Middle TN

they really should have put @williamhazen.bsky.social on the panel but still very excited to hear what Diana Alarcon has to say about doing anything quickly!

screenshot of 4 buses bunched on Rt. 55

which bus should i get on?

it was an inspiring story of opportunities for advancement through the company, but all i could think about is wondering what was so unique about nashville that the way cameras are arranged on buses for every other transit agency wasn’t adequate?

when i was in training, a safety employee was telling us about how 10 years ago he was just learning to drive a bus and now the company is flying him out to california to have meetings with the bus manufacturer and decide on the best locations for cameras on a new order of buses!

but yeah Buy America requirements and customization of every little piece is to blame for making buses way more expensive than needed

$678,483 each for our last order of Gillig 40’ buses

$1,031,485.67 each for our last order of New Flyer 60’ articulated buses

screenshot of transit app showing three outbound 55 buses bunched, arriving in 18 mins, 19 mins, and 20 mins

oh no

It’s important to understand how the housing and infrastructure study phase two recommendations will interact with our whiter and wealthier than the rest of the city historic neighborhoods. Pass it on, bring some friends.

the phrase “city bus” always makes me chuckle

conan gray performing at ascend

conan gray rode a bicycle on stage at ascend

MNPD MOU renewal

MNPD MOU renewal

🚓 MNPD MOU renewal

the o'connell administration continues to fund police at record levels

This project was funded by a TDOT grant awarded in January 2024 and is not using CHYM funds.

(Hopefully they're building this to the "All Access corridor" standard and we're not having to rip out and retrofit these stops in a few years)

www.wegotransit.com/wego-receive...

My favorite item on this agenda is this complex stormwater/sidewalk/bus stop/bus priority project on Murfreesboro Pike at East Thompson Ln/Thompson Pl

three improved bus stops, filling several sidewalk gaps, and a 0.25 mile shared bus/right turn lane from Millwood through the Thompson intersection

(the board will almost certainly not have that conversation and just rubber stamp these contracts lol)

The Nestor Facility is a critical operational hub for WeGo Public Transit. The purpose of the Nestor parking lot rehabilitation project is to improve the site conditions and capacity of the westside employee lot, visitor's lot, and the WeGo Access lot. The project addresses safety concerns, drainage issues, ADA compliance gaps, and inefficient traffic flow for buses, staff vehicles, and visitors. The rehabilitation of the parking lots at 130 Nestor Street includes full-depth pavement reconstruction, seal coating, ADA ramp improvements, striping, new curbing, upgraded lighting, fencing, security enhancements, and improved site access. It also provides trench repairs, concrete sidewalks, and the addition of EV charging infrastructure. These improvements will enhance the operational efficiency, safety, and usability of the facility while ensuring compliance with current accessibility and environmental standards. This capital project aligns with WeGo’s goals of maintaining assets in a state of good repair and supporting long-term transit infrastructure resilience. On May 16, 2025, WeGo published an Invitation to Bid (ITB) on the OpenGov website and Transit Talent. Additionally, the ITB was sent directly to Jarrett Builders, BC Mason Group, Beech Construction, and Hughes Construction. The ITB was also emailed to more than 60 Small-, Minority-, and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (S/M/WBE) and DBE firms through OpenGov. For this project, the agency established a contractspecific Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal of 16.6%. By the submission deadline of June 23, 2025, the agency received two (2) bids from Jarrett Builders and BC Mason Group (DBE). A public bid opening occurred on June 23, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., after which BC Mason Group was identified as the lowest responsive bidder for the Nestor Parking Lot Rehabilitation project. BC Mason Group is committed to a 16.6% DBE utilization goal for the project.

The existing roof at the Nestor facility has exceeded its service life and exhibits signs of deterioration, including ponding, seam failure, and insulation damage due to moisture intrusion. The rehabilitation of the roof is necessary to maintain the structural integrity of the facility, protect building assets, and ensure a safe working environment for staff. The rehabilitation scope includes removal and replacement of membranes, repairs to insulation and decking, new EPDM roofing installation, installation of new gutters and downspouts, and upgrades to ensure R-30 insulation compliance and drainage efficiency. PROCUREMENT: An Invitation to Bid (ITB), primarily based on the lowest responsive cost, was published on WeGo’s procurement platforms and advertised through TransitTalent.com on May 30, 2025. A pre-bid meeting was conducted with prospective contractors to address scope, contract terms, DBE goals, and technical clarifications. Four addenda were issued during the solicitation to incorporate design revisions and respond to bidder inquiries. The solicitation closed on July 29, 2025. Two responsive bidders were RSS Nashville, Inc., and BC Mason Group Inc.. Following the evaluation, RSS Nashville, Inc. was identified as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. An Intent to Award was issued on August 5, 2025. The contract includes the full base scope, plus two alternatives for structural engineering and an additional roof section, allowing for comprehensive rehabilitation across all sections of the facility roof. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Board authorize the Chief Executive Officer to execute a contract with RSS Nashville, Inc. for the rehabilitation of the Nestor Roof in the amount of $1,418,107.00. The agency also recommends acceptance of two contract alternates—$420,645.00 for an additional roof section and $256,532.00 for structural engineering services—totaling $677,177.00. In addition, staff requests Board approval of a 20% contingency ($419,00…

two multi-million dollar contracts for a parking lot rehab and roof rehab

the board should certainly have about whether we keep dumping millions of dollars into a facility built on a sinkhole in the flood plain or do we build a new facility somewhere else

BACKGROUND: Attached are the monthly operating statistics through July 2025. We began the fiscal year on a strong note, with positive performance across key metrics in July. Ridership and Productivity We started the fiscal year on a positive note with our strong performance in July. Fixed route ridership was up 4.0 % year-over-year compared to July of 2024, coming in at 729,900. Weekend ridership was up more than weekday ridership, with average Sunday ridership registering a particularly strong 10.3% increase over July 2024. WeGo Access saw an overall increase in demand of 15% compared to July 2024, which can be attributed to the popularity of Access on Demand, particularly the expansion of Access on Demand to weekends. Service Metrics In July, On-Time Performance (OTP) was 84.8%, an increase of 1.2% year over year compared to July 2024. Top performing routes tend to be grouped into those that run minimal mileage through the Downtown core and/or in the Southeast Corridor (I-24/Murfreesboro Pike). Notably, even with a significant increase in usage compared to last year, WeGo Access on on-time performance improved by 3.8% year over year to 95.6%, well above our target of 93%. Trip completion performance in July was 99.77%, down 0.02% year over year, but within our goal of 99.75%. Safety In July, there were 30 preventable fixed-route bus accidents and 2 preventable Access accidents. The majority were very minor, including 17 mirror taps. There were two rear-end collisions. To address these issues, we continue to emphasize operator education, targeted coaching, and video-based training to reinforce safe driving practices and reduce preventable incidents. Operator Workforce and Recruitment In July, the recruiting team hired 25 new bus operators, bringing the total operator headcount to 423, or 90% of the budget. Also in July, the WeGo Academy released twenty Operators from training during the month. On the flip side, staffing remains a challenge with 35 vacancies across …

Looking forward, we have been actively preparing for the continued partnership with the Tennessee Titans. Like last year, the Titans are sponsoring system-wide free-fare service on home game days. Two new additions to our service complement for Titans games this year include express service from Bellevue and Sumner County. Finally, Director of Service Development Katie Freudberg has been working hard with the Nashville Department of Transportation and Intermodal Infrastructure, the Metro Nashville Police Department, and other partners to pilot dedicated bus lanes along 4th Avenue from Church Street to Korean Veterans Boulevard on weekend nights. We have typically experienced extreme delays during these periods for services crossing Lower Broadway. The first pilot took place on the weekend of September 12, and the early results were promising. We will continue to monitor this program and report out results

Ridership Bus Ridership 729,900 701,519 4.0% Access Ridership 39,810 33,465 19.0% Total Ridership 769,710 734,984 4.7% 780,000 Productivity & Efficiency Bus Passengers per Revenue Hour 14.16 13.97 1.4% 15.40 Access Passengers per Revenue Hour 1.54 1.69 -8.7% 1.60 Cost Per Scheduled Revenue Hour $181.67 $148.56 22.3% $155.47 Safety Total Collisions per 100,000 miles 7.4 5.4 37.0% 4.0 Preventable Collisions per 100,000 miles 4.2 2.3 82.6% 2.2 Service Quality Bus Trip Completion 99.77% 99.79% -0.02% 99.75% Bus On-Time Performance 84.7% 83.4% 1.2% 85.0% Access On-Time Performance 95.6% 91.8% 3.8% 93.0% Maintenance Bus Miles Between Road Calls 10,910 5,919 84.3% 6,500 Access Miles Between Road Calls 33,460 33,638 -0.5% 20,000 Customer Care Bus Passengers per Complaint 2,744 2,589 6.0% 3,000 Access Passengers per Complaint 553 338 63.6% 350 Percent of Calls Answered 90.4% 88.5% 1.9% 92.0% Staffing % of Operator Positions Filled 91.2% 92.6% -1.4% 92.0% % of Maintenance Positions Filled 82.0% 86.7% -4.7% 92.0% Customer Amenities % of Stops with Shelters (including Central) 21.1% 18.9% 2.2% 20.0% % of Boardings at Covered Stops (including Central) 76.6% 74.2% 2.4% 74.0%

Monthly Operating Statistics (for July):

📈 fixed route ridership up 4% YoY which sounds like not very much, but it's a growth of 900 riders per day on average throughout the month, not shabby!

led by weekend ridership, with Sunday ridership posting a 10.3% increase YoY

obviously (and inexplicably) the journey pass program hasn't started, so no "journey pass fare revenues" are being received, but we did still receive those dollars from the CHYM surcharge tax, they just weren't categorized as fare revenue, so we have a $166,667 surplus in that category

Attached is a preliminary summary of the statement of operations for the month of July 2025 compared to the Boardapproved fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget. Total revenues during the first month of the fiscal year aligned closely with budgeted levels, with a few notable differences: • The Journey Pass Program will be implemented by the end of the calendar year and was not yet active in July, resulting in zero fare revenues related to the Journey Pass Program. These July revenues were instead classified as part of MTA’s local surtax (or Choose How You Move) operating allocation. • Investment income in July was lower than budgeted for the month due to the recent renewal of MTA’s banking contract and the pending establishment of an investment account under that new contract for the new MTA Reserve Fund. The MTA Reserve Fund currently holds an initial $20,000,000 received as part of the FY 2025 supplemental budget and funded through initial Choose How You Move funds. The FY2026 budget assumed that the new fund would generate an estimated $1,215,060 in investment income in FY2026. Once this account is established with US Bank in September or October, MTA will begin to generate additional investment income, which is still likely to exceed budgeted levels by the end of the fiscal year. Expenses were 6% lower than anticipated due to the following key trends: • Fixed-Route Bus Operations category expenses were 10% lower than budgeted in July, which was primarily due to open positions and a large number of new operators in training, which is reported in the Safety & Security category. • Paratransit Operations category expenses were 6% lower than budgeted in July, which was primarily due to open positions. • Asset Maintenance category expenses were 20% lower than budgeted in July, which was due to favorable fuel prices and a favorable fuel hedging contract, lower-than-anticipated parts expenses, and open positions. • Employee Benefits category expenses were 11% higher than budgeted…

July 2025 Operating Revenue by Category: July 2025 FY 2026 Year To Date Total Approved FY 2026 Budget % Budget To Date Passenger Revenues (Budget) 736,770 736,770 8,587,250 9% Passenger Revenues (Actuals) 695,239 695,239 8% Other Operating Revenues (Budget) 490,591 490,591 5,893,230 8% Other Operating Revenues (Actuals) 399,183 399,183 7% Local Funds (General Funds) (Budget) 10,000,000 10,000,000 77,212,600 13% Local Funds (General Funds) (Actuals) 10,000,000 10,000,000 13% Local Funds (Sales Tax Surcharge) (Budget) 3,228,341 3,228,341 38,740,100 8% Local Funds (Sales Tax Surcharge) (Actuals) 3,395,012 3,395,012 9% State Funds (Budget) - - 6,272,000 - State Funds (Actuals) - - - Federal Funds (Budget) - - 20,967,520 - Federal Funds (Actuals) - - - Total Operating Revenues (Budget) 14,455,702 14,455,702 157,672,700 9% Total Operating Revenues (Actuals) 14,489,434 14,489,434 9% July 2025 Operating Expenses by Category: July 2025 FY 2026 Year To Date Total Approved FY 2026 Budget % Budget To Date Fixed Route Bus Operations (Budget) 2,534,730 2,534,730 29,496,690 9% Fixed Route Bus Operations (Actuals) 2,268,571 2,268,571 8% Paratransit Operations (Budget) 1,555,790 1,555,790 17,962,510 9% Paratransit Operations (Actuals) 1,455,774 1,455,774 8% Asset Maintenance (Budget) 2,670,110 2,670,110 30,827,860 9% Asset Maintenance (Actuals) 2,136,246 2,136,246 7% Employee Benefits (Budget) 3,695,750 3,695,750 44,345,980 8% Employee Benefits (Actuals) 4,104,732 4,104,732 9% Safety & Security (Budget) 1,509,380 1,509,380 18,509,950 8% Safety & Security (Actuals) 1,626,059 1,626,059 9% Administration (Budget) 1,115,050 1,115,050 12,883,870 9% Administration (Actuals) 762,839 762,839 6% Customer Communications (Budget) 197,010 197,010 2,274,230 9% Customer Communications (Actuals) 136,584 136,584 6% Planning & Development (Budget) 113,590 113,590 1,311,070 9% Planning & Development (Actuals) 94,663 94,663 7% Miscellaneous (Budget) 9,000 9,000 60,540 15% Miscellaneous (Actuals) 3,210…

Revenue From Operations Passenger Fares 653,740 685,830 (32,090) 637,837 653,740 685,830 (32,090) 8,045,250 WeGo Access Revenue 41,500 50,940 (9,440) 63,659 41,500 50,940 (9,440) 542,000 Contract Revenue 276,350 267,200 9,150 257,957 276,350 267,200 9,150 3,255,950 Other Non-Transportation Revenue 122,833 223,391 (100,558) 131,370 122,833 223,391 (100,558) 2,637,280 Total Operating Revenue 1,094,422 1,227,361 (132,939) 1,090,822 1,094,422 1,227,361 (132,939) 14,480,480 Federal/State/Local Income Local Operating Assistance - General Fund 10,000,000 10,000,000 - 10,500,000 10,000,000 10,000,000 - 77,212,600 Local Operating Assistance - Sales Tax Surcharge 3,395,012 3,395,008 4 - 3,395,012 3,395,008 4 40,740,100 Contra Acct - Journey Pass Program - (166,667) 166,667 - - (166,667) 166,667 (2,000,000) State Operating Assistance - - - - - - - 6,272,000 CMAQ Operating Revenues - - - - - - - 6,272,000 Mobility Mgmt / CHSTP Admin Time - - - - - - - - CARES Act Operating Reimbursement - - - - - - - - American Rescue Plan Op Reimbursement - - - - - - - - Total Assistance Income 13,395,012 13,228,341 166,671 10,500,000 13,395,012 13,228,341 166,671 128,496,700 Capital Income Capital Operating Reimbursement - - - 14,559 - - - 17,467,520 Capital ADA Reimbursement - - - - - - - 3,500,000 Total Capital Income - - - 14,559 - - - 20,967,520 Total Revenue 14,489,434 14,455,702 33,732 11,605,382 14,489,434 14,455,702 33,732 163,944,700 Labor & Fringes 8,977,833 9,027,330 (49,497) 7,158,220 8,977,833 9,027,330 (49,497) 105,901,650 Services 2,305,269 2,561,880 (256,611) 1,219,368 2,305,269 2,561,880 (256,611) 30,759,620 Fuel & Lubricants 469,667 583,060 (113,393) 501,287 469,667 583,060 (113,393) 6,731,870 Parts, Materials & Supplies 422,732 680,020 (257,288) 323,954 422,732 680,020 (257,288) 7,850,550 Utilities 115,892 140,300 (24,408) 94,760 115,892 140,300 (24,408) 1,619,810 Casualty & Liabilities 292,170 316,390 (24,220) 289,403 292,170 316,390 (24,220) 3,796,680 Other Miscellaneous …

💰 Monthly Financial Report (July):

for the first time in my recollection, fare revenue was under budget (~$40k below budget), but they are in line with last year

there's also some accounting mathe-magic: the budget assumed $166,667 in fare revenue this month from the fare-free Journey Pass program

1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of the August 28, 2025, MTA Board Minutes 4. Public Comment 5. Information Only Items – The following information is contained in the board packet distributed for member review. These items are not planned for discussion, but the staff is available to discuss them should members have questions. − Monthly Financial Report Compared to Budget – Amanda Vandegrift, Deputy M-I-25-025 P. 7 CEO of Finance & Administration − Monthly Operating Statistics – Andy Burke, COO M-I-25-026 P. 13 − Upcoming Procurement Projects List – Vince Malone, COSA M-I-25-027 P. 19 6. Consent Agenda Items – These routine, repetitive items appear in the written agenda and are voted on as a group to allow more time for other discussions. Any Board member may request an item’s removal from the Consent Agenda for further discussion, and the listed staff will be available for questions. − Resolution for FY2026 Annual Grant Applications – Billy Higgins, Director of M-A-25-036 P. 21 Grants Management & Compliance 7. Operations & Finance Committee – Jessica Dauphin, Committee Chair − Annual Pension Overview – Amanda Vandegrift, Deputy CEO of Finance OF-D-25-006 P. 24 & Administration − Nestor Parking Lot Rehabilitation – Patrick Hester, DCOO of Asset & M-A-25-037 P. 26 Infrastructure − Nestor Roof Rehabilitation – Patrick Hester, DCOO of Asset & Infrastructure M-A-25-038 P. 27 − Myatt Employee Parking Lot Rehabilitation – Patrick Hester, DCOO of Asset M-A-25-039 P. 28 & Infrastructure − Murfreesboro & Thompson Place Transit Stop Improvements – Lydia Benda, M-A-25-040 P. 29 Director of Engineering, Construction, & Project Management − eVision CO1 Expanded Consulting Services – Lydia Benda, Director of M-A-25-041 P. 32 Engineering, Construction, & Project Management − MNPD Memorandum of Understanding – Nick Oldham, CSSO M-A-25-042 P. 34 8. New Initiatives & Community Engagement Committee – Aron Thompson, Committee Chair − Title VI Program Adoption – Felix Castroda…

here's a break down of some agenda items that I find interesting

The next Nashville MTA (WeGo) board meeting is this week!

🗓️ Thursday, Sept. 25
⌚ 2:30 p.m.
📍 TN Bankers Association Building at 211 Athens Way
🚌 Just off the Route 9 Metrocenter

www.wegotransit.com/assets/1/27/...

My first experience at a bus stop with a new bench from To Nashville With Love, and it was great! This stop has needed one for a long time, and it was really nice to be able to rest for a moment.

www.tonashvillewithlove.com

guess i’ll have to wait to read about it in @nashvillebanner.bsky.social’s newsletter since i can’t read the tennessean

Activists build benches for Nashville bus stops - Nashville Banner A small movement in Nashville is building wooden benches and placing them at bus stops without seating, providing a simple solution for the elderly, unhoused and others.

Good news

“We don’t have to wait for official approval to love our neighbor.”

the new Titans express bus service from Bellevue and Sumner County must have been a smashing success last weekend!

both routes will be adding a fourth bus for tomorrow’s game, providing 20-minute headways

www.wegotransit.com/titans/

Michael James

Irene Kelley

Diane Wilson

Debbie Young

definitely nothing exclusionary happening in D16 given this very inclusive collection of both middle aged and elderly wealthy white people!