Santa Clara VTA accepts audit's recommendations

Rail News Home Passenger Rail 12/19/2019 Rail News: Passenger Rail
The VTA board is responsible for light-rail planning in Santa Clara County, California.Photo – VTA

The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority's (VTA) board yesterday released the results of an independent evaluation of its governance practices that provides 27 recommendations to help improve the board’s decision-making processes for transportation project planning.

Consulting firm RSM US LLP evaluated the California transit agency's board over the past five months, VTA officials said in a press release.

The firm recommended the authority create a strategic plan to identify VTA's priorities and set tactics to implement them; create an innovation committee to encourage broader innovation across the system; and enhance its financial monitoring through quarterly reviews of the budget and actual results.

Broadly, the firm’s other recommendations fell into three categories, including increased strategic thinking and focus; initiatives to improve the engagement, participation and value of board members; and a revised committee structure and meeting management process.

The Ad Hoc Board Enhancement Committee and VTA Board will develop a timeline to consider the recommendations and any future actions.

The VTA board is responsible for light-rail, bus, highway, bike and pedestrian, congestion management and countywide transportation planning in Santa Clara County, California.