Capitol Corridor Maps Its Future as Board Locks In $35.4M Budget

The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) spent its longest stretch of the meeting on a new Vision Plan that will decide which projects, including extensions to Reno and Novato, the rail line pursues for decades. Directors also adopted a fully state-funded FY2026-27 budget 14-0. Staff warned that federal rail money is about to shrink sharply.

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• Vision Plan draft takes shape around safety, amenities and mega-project pillars, with adoption targeted for November.
• $35.4M FY27 budget adopted 14-0, keeping 30 weekday and 22 weekend trains running.
• Federal rail funds face a cut of more than 80% now that advance appropriations have ended.
• Commuting trips jumped to 53% of riders, but trespasser fatalities are up in 2026.
• Up to three on-call consulting firms authorized 13-0, with $9M in total capacity.

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Vision Plan Sets the Corridor's Long Game

The basics: The Vision Plan replaces a 2016 plan that focused on capital projects. It will guide which projects and service extensions staff pursue for decades.

Why it matters: The plan decides whether communities from Reno to Novato get new rail service, and in what order.

Where things stand: Managing Director Rob Padgette said an ad hoc committee has met. He said a draft will be presented Oct. 14, and staff are targeting adoption in November. The board took no action.

Senior Manager of Planning Jim Allison said a July 23 webinar drew 45 attendees and about 96 informal survey responses. Respondents favored timed bus transfers, more frequent service, and extensions to Reno and San Francisco.

The draft organizes work into three pillars:
- Pillar 1: safety and reliability
- Pillar 2: service amenities
- Pillar 3: mega projects

A fourth pillar covers rolling stock, the trains and cars themselves, which Caltrans owns. Projects fall into four groupings, including Reno and Novato extensions.

Allison stressed that Caltrans' ownership of the fleet is a hard limit on growth. "If you want to do a service increase and you don't have the rolling stock time to do it, you don't do the service increase," he said.

Board pushback: Director Roger Dickinson, who represents Sacramento Regional Transit, asked staff to make several additions:
- Elevate reliability.
- Restore bus access to the San Francisco Transit Center.
- Study express service.
- Consider commuter service using five unused Sacramento-Martinez train slots.

He argued that a faster trip between Sacramento and Emeryville would draw more riders.

The other side: Public commenter Roland argued that private-sector delivery can shorten project timelines. He also urged a 550-millimeter boarding-height standard, based on a European rail specification known as TSI, so trains are compatible at Salesforce Transit Center. Public commenter Alita Dupree backed the Reno extension and CalITP uniform fare payment, and asked staff to use larger charts.

What's next: The draft goes before the board Oct. 14, with adoption targeted for November.

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Budget Sustains Restored Service Levels

Why it matters: The budget keeps Capitol Corridor running at its restored pre-COVID service levels. The state, meanwhile, wants riders to cover more of the cost.

Where things stand: Staff said the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) approved the annual business plan in letters dated July 1 and July 30, fully funding the requested levels. The motion adopts:
- $35.4M from the 2026 State Budget Act
- $5M for the CalITP project, for which CCJPA serves as fiscal sponsor

The plan continues 30 weekday and 22 weekend trains. Amtrak's operations request fell 7% between the April and June forecasts, driven by a 5% increase in forecast revenue. CCJPA's supplemental allocation is $1.5M.

Staff also moved right-of-way maintenance and security costs out of State Rail Assistance and into direct operations. State Rail Assistance is a state funding source for passenger rail. The shift keeps those dollars available as a local match for capital grants.

The state's expectations come with strings. "We are expected to continue to work towards a return to 50% or better farebox recovery level in FY27," said Manager of Budget and Administration Katherine Relucio. Farebox recovery is the share of operating costs covered by fares.

The other side: Dupree supported adoption. She asked staff to benchmark fare recovery against other systems, make onboard announcements clearer and control costs on state-supported funds.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Director Robert Raburn moved the budget and Director Josh Chapman seconded. The motion passed (For: 14, Against: 0, Abstain: 0). Directors Jain and Li were recorded absent at the opening roll call. Riders keep current frequencies, while staff face pressure to grow fare revenue.

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Federal Rail Money Hits a Cliff

Why it matters: Rail funding under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) now depends on annual appropriations. That makes capital project delivery less certain.

Where things stand: Padgette said the federal budget extension and the IIJA extension run through Dec. 11. He said advance appropriations, money Congress had committed for future years, ended Sept. 30. "For rail itself, this means more than an 80% cut in funds," he said.

California has also fared poorly in recent competitions. The state won less than 4% of $5.2 billion in National Rail Partnership Program awards.

Raburn asked about the Corridor ID program, which helps plan new and improved passenger rail routes. Padgette said the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has not moved to release funds in over a year. "FRA has not moved forward with any serious action in recent months," he said.

CCJPA is lobbying through the States for Passenger Rail Coalition. Dickinson asked, "Are the National League of Cities and the National Association of Counties part of the advocacy efforts on those issues?" Staff said they would check.

The other side: Roland said the federal Expedited Project Delivery program was made permanent, with the federal share raised from 25% to 40%. He noted this is relevant to public-private partnership concessions. A second public commenter voiced concern about federal and state funding uncertainty and about opposition to transit work.

What's next: Federal funding remains uncertain beyond the Dec. 11 extension deadline. The board took no action.

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Riders Return to Commuting as Safety Worries Grow

Why it matters: Ridership and revenue are up, but trespasser deaths underscore that safety remains the top priority.

Where things stand: Padgette reported that ridership and revenue are above last year. On-time performance is below target. Trespasser fatalities are higher in 2026 than in 2025.

A federal agreement for fencing to keep people off the tracks is still pending. "We are waiting for our $20 million grant from the federal government to do that fencing project that we've talked about," Padgette said.

The onboard survey showed a 91% Net Promoter Score, a common measure of customer satisfaction. Padgette also pointed to a shift in why people ride. "So we're now seeing 53% compared to 38% last year that are saying that it's for commuting," he said.

Open-loop payment, which lets riders pay with a standard bank card or phone, was turned on before the FIFA matches. Staff said riders adopted it quickly.

Director Lucas Frerichs pressed for better data on airport travel. "So I would just love for us to very specifically ask people," he said. Padgette agreed the idea merits exploration.

The other side: Dupree noted that ridership has recovered to roughly 77% of pre-pandemic levels and urged continued emphasis on rail safety.

What's next: Staff await the $20M fencing grant agreement and may add airport-trip questions to future surveys.

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On-Call Contracts Get an Early Start

Where things stand: Directors authorized new five-year on-call master service agreements with up to three firms. Each agreement is capped at $3M, for $9M in total. The new agreements replace contracts that expire at the end of 2027.

The early procurement is meant to create overlap so planning, engineering and grant work continue without interruption. Staff plan this timeline:
- Request for qualifications: late October
- Interviews: early 2027
- Agreements: mid-2027

Dickinson asked whether HDR, whose current contract was extended for third-track work, could compete. "This will be open to all firms," Padgette said. He added that HDR's extension continues under its current contract. Roland did not oppose the contracts but asked whether capacity remains under the current agreements.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Dickinson moved the resolution and Frerichs seconded. The clerk announced the vote (For: 13, Against: 0, Abstain: 0).

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Minor Items

• Closed session: "The board of directors has granted the general counsel and the managing director authority to intervene in an action," the General Counsel reported. Particulars will be disclosed later.
• Consent calendar: Passed unanimously on a roll call vote, with no tally announced. The calendar includes state rail funds for the Agnew and Davis crossovers, which staff called an administrative state process.
• Caltrans agreement: Padgette said of the mitigation agreement, "I do believe that's the best deal." He confirmed Amtrak benefits from work CCJPA pays for.
• Board changes: Board Chair Bruce Houdesheldt thanked a departing Solano director and welcomed new alternate Rick Vaccaro.
• Public comment: Roland pitched a 90-mile, 110 mph Emeryville-Gilroy line under a 50-year right-of-way concession. Dupree urged cleanup near Oakland Airport station.

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Looking Ahead

• The Vision Plan draft returns Oct. 14, with adoption targeted for November.
• The on-call request for qualifications is due out in late October.
• Federal rail funding faces the Dec. 11 extension deadline.