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>> CLERK: WELCOME TO THE CITY COUNCIL B SESSION OF MAY THE 16TH, 2018.
>> CLERK: MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
WELCOME TO OUR CITY COUNCIL B SESSION AGENDA.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
[1. Briefing by VIA Metropolitan Transit on the implementation of the City's FY 2018 $4.3 million investment in VIA to improve bus frequency and travel times and on VIA's Mobility on Demand Request for Proposal. [Jeff Arndt, President/CEO, VIA Metropolitan Transit; Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager; Mike Frisbie, Director, Transportation & Capital Improvements]]
MANAGER.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: TWO ITEMS.
>> SCULLEY: THE FIRST ITEM THAT WE HAVE THIS AFTERNOON IS A PRESENTATION BY VIA TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SYSTEM THAT WE FUNDED THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR 2018 BUDGET.
YOU'LL RECALL THE COUNCIL POLICY DIRECTION WAS TO INCREASE FUNDING TO VIA, 4.3 MILLION IN THE ADOPTED FISCAL YEAR 2018 BUDGET.
THAT NUMBER WILL INCREASE IN FISCAL '19 TO A TOTAL OF $10 MILLION.
AND THAT IS TO ADD NINE ADDITIONAL ROUTES AND NINE CORRIDORS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO IMPROVE VIA SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
SO THIS AFTERNOON, THE DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF VIA IS -- I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AFTER WE FINISH THE VIA PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON.
SO WITH THAT, LET ME INTRODUCE KEITH HOLM WITH VIA WHO IS GOING TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION ON THE ROUTE IMPROVEMENTS FUNDED BY THE CITY.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, AND I'LL ACTUALLY BE TALKING ABOUT TWO ITEMS TODAY.
THE FIRST, AS CITY MANAGER SAID, ARE SOME EARLY RESULTS ON IS VIA AND CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PARTNERSHIP.
AND THE SECOND IS I'LL TOUCH UPON A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR MOBILITY ON DEMAND INNOVATIVE PILOT THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON.
SO STARTING WITH THE PARTNERSHIP, YOU'LL RECALL THAT THE FOUNDATION OF THAT PARTNERSHIP IS THE RECOGNITION OF THE INCREASE IN CONGESTION ON OUR STREETS THAT RESULT FROM THE UNPRESS DEPTED GROWTH THAT WILL -- UNPRESS SE -- UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH THAT WILL HAPPEN OVER SAN ANTONIO, ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS, 838,000 NEW JOBS AND THAT WILL BRING A MILLION NEW CARS TO OUR ROAD, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH THE LEVEL OF REGISTERED VEHICLES THEY HAVE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO THINK OF ALL THE CARS IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND DUMPING THEM ON OUR STREETS.
IN RESPONSE TO THAT, THE CITY HAS DEVELOPED AN SA TOMORROW PLAN AND WE'VE DEVELOPED A VISION 2040 PLAN, THAT PLAN INCLUDES THREE MAIN COMPONENTS, THE FIRST IS A BETTER BUS SYSTEM.
THE SECOND IS RAPID TRANSIT CORRIDORS AND THE THIRD IS SMART TRANSIT, WHICH I'LL TALK TO A LITTLE BIT LATER.
SO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO VIA PARTNERSHIP IS MEANT TO BE THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS DEVELOPING THAT BETTER BUS SYSTEM.
THIS IS A ROUTE OF OUR SERVICE AREA.
THERE WERE BASICALLY TWO KINDS OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE DID WITH THIS.
FIRST IS TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE 60-MINUTE SERVICE DURING SOME PORTION OF THE DAY, EITHER DURING THE OFF-PEEK OR -- OFFPEAK OR DURING THE PEAK OR DURING THE ENTIRE DAY.
THE SECOND WAS TO PRESENT CHANGES TO OUR MAJOR CORRIDORS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
THE OTHER THING WE WANTED TO INCLUDE ON THIS MAP WAS THE TWO ADDITIONAL PRIMO ROUTES ON ZARZAMORA AND SOUTHWEST MILITARY THAT WILL BE ADDED TO THE EXISTING PRIMO ROUTE ON FREDERICKSBURG ROAD.
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AS THE CITY MANAGER REFERENCED, THERE IS A PHASING PLAN.PHASE 1 AND 2 HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED.
YOU SEE THERE THE $4.3 MILLION PRICE TAG IN FISCAL YEAR '18 AND THE $10 MILLION PRICE TAG IN FISCAL '19 ONCE PHASE THREE HAPPENS IN JANUARY OF '19.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENED? SO WE HAVE FULLY IMPLEMENTED PHASE 1 AND PHASE 2, THE LATTER HAPPENING JUST ON MAY 7TH.
THESE PLANS AND THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE FULLY INTEGRATED IN EVERYTHING THAT VIA'S DOING.
WE HAVE THEM IN OUR HIRING PLANS, OUR SCHEDULES, OUR FLEET PLAN, AND IN ALL OF OUR MARKETING.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE -- THERE'S 14 ROUTES, 14 OF THE 18 TOTAL ROUTES HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
ADDITIONAL BUS HOURS ON AN ANNUALIZED BASIS ABOUT 82,000 HOURS.
THAT REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 5%.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE AND CAPACITY OF OUR SYSTEM COMPARED TO WHAT OTHER TRANSIT SYSTEMS ARE DOING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF AVERAGE DAILY PASSENGERS AFFECTED, IT'S ABOUT 17,000 IN TOTAL, WHICH IS ABOUT 13 TO 14% OF OUR TOTAL SYSTEMWIDE RIDERSHIP.
SO 14% OF OUR RIDERS HAVE A BETTER TRANSIT COMMUTE THAN THEY DID PRIOR TO THE IMPROVEMENTS IN JANUARY.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE IMPACT TO THE POPULATION, THERE'S A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF ALL OF THESE ROUTES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPROVED.
SO A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BETTER TRANSIT SERVICE THAN THEY DID PRIOR TO THESE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT.
IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE, WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU THAT THE MARKETING AND OUTREACH FOR THESE IMPROVEMENTS BEGAN BACK -- SIGNIFICANT DIGITAL CAMPAIGN, WHICH FOCUSED ON AND EMPHASIZED THE CONCEPT OF SHORTER WAITS AND FASTER CONNECTIONS.
YOU CAN SEE THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE MARKETING MATERIALS, WE SPENT ABOUT -- IT WAS ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS IN MARKETING MATERIALS JUST ON THE PHASE 1 AND PHASE 2 IMPROVEMENTS HERE AGAIN, AN EMPHASIS ON THE REDUCED WAIT TIME AND FASTER CONNECTIONS.
IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT GO INTO THE MARKETING AND OUTREACH, WE HAD DIRECT MAILERS TO ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THESE IMPROVEMENTS.
WE USED OUR EXISTING CHANNELS OF E-MAIL AND DIGITAL PARTNERS TO REACH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND, OF COURSE, WE REACHED OUT TO THE LOCAL BUSINESSES ALONG THESE ROUTES TO PROVIDE THEM WITH MARKETING MATERIALS AS WELL THERE WAS A HEAVY PRESENCE ON OUR MAINSTREAM AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH AS WELL.
AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THE SAME TYPE OF MARKETING PUSH WITH THE MAY IMPROVEMENTS.
THEY BEGAN BACK IN MARCH, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY SUMMER.
SO THE NEXT THING I WANTED TO DO WAS TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE EARLY RESULTS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN TERMS OF RIDERSHIP.
AND SO THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF PROVISOS I WANT TO SAY.
FIRST, THEY'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE JUST THREE MONTHS, SO IT'S VERY EARLY.
A LOT OF TIMES THESE KIND OF SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS TAKE A YEAR, 18 MONTHS, TO REALLY TAKE HOLD, SO IT'S VERY EARLY.
AND SECONDLY, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY SAW SOME SIGNIFICANT WEATHER DOWNTURNS, WHICH AFFECTED RIDERSHIP.
THERE WERE TWO DAYS IN JANUARY, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THE CITY VIRTUALLY SHUT DOWN AND TRANSIT RIDERSHIP WAS VERY LOW.
HOWEVER, HAVING SAID THAT, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED.
SO THESE CHARTS LOOK AT AVERAGE WEEKDAY RIDERSHIP.
AND ON THE LEFT SIDE, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS COMPARING THE BEFORE
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AND AFTER FOR THE ROUTES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPROVED.OKAY? SO BEFORE THE ROUTES WERE IMPROVED, THERE WAS, IN OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER, AN EIGHTH% -- 8% DROP IN THE AVERAGE WEEKDAY RIDERSHIP ON THOSE ROUTES.
AFTER, IN THE JANUARY THROUGH MARCH PERIOD, THERE WAS A 4.5% INCREASE IN THOSE ROUTES, SO IT'S A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN TREND, A REVERSAL IN TREND FROM NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE.
THE OTHER WAY THAT WE LOOKED AT IT WAS TO COMPARE THE IMPROVED ROUTES WITH ALL OTHER ROUTES IN THE SYSTEM, AND THAT'S THE CHART THAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT.
SO HERE WE LOOK AT THE SAME PERIOD, JANUARY THROUGH MARCH, COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR.
THE OTHER ROUTES, ALL OTHER ROUTES IN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WERE DOWN 7.9%, AND THE IMPROVED ROUTES WERE UP, AS I SAID BEFORE, 4.5%.
SO IT'S A VERY SIMILAR IMPACT IN TERMS OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING DONE THE IMPROVEMENTS AND HAVING NOT DONE THE IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S A DOUBLE-DIGIT PERCENTAGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING DONE THE IMPROVEMENTS AND NOT HAVING DONE THE IMPROVEMENTS.
EVERYONE GOOD WITH THAT? OKAY.
SO -- BUT THE NUMBERS DON'T ALWAYS TELL THE WHOLE STORY.
YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE CAME TO ASK COUNCIL FOR THE REQUEST, WE HAD A SERIES OF VIDEOS OF THE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY NEEDED ADDITIONAL SERVICE.
AND SO WE THOUGHT WE'D GO BACK OUT THERE AND TALK TO THEM AGAIN ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS.
STARTS 5:00 P.M., I WORK FROM SIX AT NIGHT TO ABOUT 5:30 IN THE MORNING, SO Y'ALL'S MORNING IS MY NIGHT.
IF IT WASN'T FOR VIA, I WOULDN'T BE WORKING.
>> I USUALLY DO IT TWICE A WEEK.
I TRAVEL TO SCHOOL, BACK AND FORTH, SO WE ONLY HAVE ONE VEHICLE AT HOME, SO IT COMES IN HANDY WHENEVER WE -- I CAN GET SOME TRANSPORTATION.
>> NOW IT'S EVERY 10, 15 MINUTES.
BEFORE IT WAS LIKE EVERY 30 MINUTES.
30 MINUTES SEEMS LIKE AN HOUR.
I USUALLY TAKE 6:15 -- I TAKE FOUR BUSES, 615, 76, 93 AND 94.
IT GETS ME TO WORK MORE ON TIME AND JUST, YOU KNOW, KEEPS ME UP WITH MY SCHEDULE.
>> I KNOW WE GET THERE A LOT FASTER.
IT'S LIKE YOU'RE NOT -- NOT EVEN FIVE MINUTES AND YOU'RE ALREADY ON MARBACH, FOR REAL.
LIKE AS SOON AS I GET ON THERE AND STUFF, LIKE THE NEXT THING I KNOW, I'M ALREADY THERE.
>> IF ALL THE BUSES DID THAT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> SOMETIMES AFTER SCHOOL I WOULD GO AND STUDY AND TAKE MY TIME WITH THIS, SO IF I'M KIND OF RUNNING LATE OR IF I'M GOING TO TAKE MY TIME GOING BACK HOME OR GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE, IF I'M GOING TO TAKE THE 3, AT LEAST I KNOW IF I MISS THIS ONE, THE NEXT ONE'S GOING TO COME BACK SHORTLY, SO IT'S REALLY CONVENIENT FOR ME.
>> I LIKE THAT IT'S MORE FREQUENT NOW BECAUSE IT GIVES ME MORE CHANCES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GET TO WHERE I NEED TO GET TO FASTER, AND, YOU KNOW, I REALLY LOOK FORWARD ON THAT, AND I REALLY DEPEND ON THAT.
PUNGSALTY FOR ME IS -- PUNGTALTY FOR ME IS A MUST.
>> INCREASED FREQUENCY BECAUSE THE PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO RIDE THE BUS EVERY DAY, IT'S MORE CONVENIENT BECAUSE WE WON'T HAVE TO MISS OUR CONNECTING BUS AND WE GET TO WORK ON TIME.
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>> WE'VE GOT APRIL RESULTS, SO YOU REMEMBER MARCH YEAR-TO-DATE WAS ABOUT 4.5% OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
APRIL, JUST APRIL COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR IS 12.6%.
SO APRIL WE HAD 12.6% INCREASE ON THE ROUTES THAT WERE IMPROVED, AND ALL OTHER ROUTES WERE DOWN 4.5%.
IMPROVED ROUTES, UP 12.6%, SO THE SPREAD BETWEEN THE TWO HAS INCREASED AT LEAST FOUR APRIL.
INTERESTINGLY, THE TOTAL MONTHLY AVERAGE WEEKDAY CHANGE IS DOWN 2.9%.
THE FACT THAT THE INCREASES ARE OCCURRING ON THE ROUTES THAT ARE IMPROVING IS IMPROVING THE OVERALL, OBVIOUSLY, PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, AFTER JUST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, I THINK THOSE ARE VERY ENCOURAGING RESULTS, AND I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THEY CONTINUE.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE MY QUESTIONS BEFORE I GO ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS UP ON THE SCREEN, BUT JUST TO REITERATE, ON THOSE -- JUST THOSE ROUTES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPROVED, YOU'RE SEEING A 12.6% INCREASE IN RIDERSHIP, MEANING THAT PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO RIDE THE BUS MORE OFTEN WHERE WE'VE STRATEGICALLY IMPROVED THE ROUTES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND THAT'S, AGAINST, I GUESS YOU COULD GIVE IT, THE CONTROL OF THE REST OF THE SYSTEM WHICH IS DOWN SLIGHTLY YEAR OVER YEAR.
YOU KNOW, THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING.
WE BELIEVE, AND ONE OF THE HYPOTHESES FOR FURTHER INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS THE FACT THAT IF WE MAKE IT MORE CONVENIENT, MORE EFFICIENT, PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY USE IT, IT WILL HELP CONTROL CONGESTION, AND SO, INITIALLY AT LEAST, THE RESULTS ARE IN FROM OUR SMALL STEP FORWARD FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN -- IN AUDIO] -- DID THE JOB OF GETTING IT DONE AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE EFFORT OF VIA AND OF THE CITY FOR PULLING THIS TOGETHER.
>> SALDAÑA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE MEETING AND THERE WAS THIS MOMENT IN WHICH YOU SAID, WE'VE GOT THE RESULTS.
AND THERE WAS A PART OF ME SAID, OH, GOSH, I REALLY HOPE AT THE END OF THE DAY WE GET SOME POSITIVE RESULTS FROM THIS, NAMELY THAT WE SEE MORE FOLK WHOSE ARE RIDING THIS.
BUT TO RECALL EVERYBODY'S MEMORY, WE DID STUDY THIS FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND WE WANTED TO GET IT RIGHT.
SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND JUST THROW A DART AT THE MAP OF SAN ANTONIO AND SAY THESE ARE THE ROUTES THAT NEED FIXING, OR THESE ARE THE ROUTES THAT WE THINK SHOULD INCREASE IN FREQUENCY.
AND THE SLIDE NUMBER FOUR SHOWS WHERE THAT SCIENCE POINTED US TO, WHICH WAS THAT THE DATA DROVE US TO ABOUT 12 DIFFERENT STREETS AND CORRIDORS AND BUS ROUTES WHERE THERE WAS ALREADY HIGH USAGE, AND THE THEORY THAT WE WERE TESTING WAS IF WE INCREASE THE FREQUENCY, NAMELY THE BIGGEST GRIPE AND -- AND QUESTION THAT RESIDENTS HAD WHO WERE RIDING IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE WHEN I TRANSFER A ROUTE AND I MISS IT BY A FEW MINUTES, BUT I KNOW THAT THE NEXT ONE'S NOT COMING FOR ANOTHER 40, AND THAT THROWS OFF MY ENTIRE SCHEDULE, OR IT'S NOT COMING FOR ANOTHER 60 MINUTES OR 30 MINUTES.
AND SO WE WERE VERY STRATEGIC IN THE WAY THAT WE CLOSED THOSE HEADWAYS, WHAT DO WE CALL THEM? WHAT DO WE REFER TO THEM AS? THERE'S A TECHNICAL TERM.
SO THE TIME IN WHICH ONE BUS COMES AND ANOTHER FOLLOWS BEHIND IT.
I THINK IN SOME ROUTES WE'RE UP TO 12 MINUTES.
SLIDE NUMBER FOUR, IF YOU CAN GET TO IT, MY COLLEAGUES GET TO SEE A LOT OF THEM, THOUSAND OAKS, 611 VALLEY HI, KEL/LACK, INGRAM, SKY HARBOR, WE'VE GOT A FEW MORE.
MLK CORRIDOR IS AN IMPORTANT ONE, TOO, BECAUSE THAT ONE REALLY CUTS US EAST/WEST.
IT'S SLIDE FOUR WHICH HAS THE PHASING PLAN.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE DATA POINTED US TO, AND SO THE HYPOTHESIS WAS IF WE INCREASE THE FREQUENCY NOT ONLY WILL WE
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BE GIVING PEOPLE BACK THEIR TIME, WILL THEY RECOGNIZE IT, AND I WAS WORRIED IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN A JUST A FEW MONTHS TO GET THAT IDEA TO BAKE IN, BUT I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THE MARKETING THAT YOUR TEAM NOTED TO TELL FOLKS THAT BUSES WOULD BE COMING AROUND EVERY 12 MINUTES, EVERY 20 MINUTES.AND I'M REALLY, REALLY ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL THAT YOU BROUGHT IN SOME OF THE VOICES AND THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY RIDING THE BUS THROUGH THE VIDEO TODAY.
THE STATISTICS ARE ONE THING AND THE IMPROVEMENTS AND THE NUMBERS AND OUR INVESTMENT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, BUT IT TRANSLATES TO A LOT OF THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FEELING IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M OF THE OPINION THAT WHAT WE DO UP HERE DOESN'T MATTER UNLESS COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN SEE AND FEEL IT.
AND I THINK WE'RE REALLY DOING SOMETHING IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR WHOM WE DON'T ALWAYS HEAR THEIR VOICES.
AND THEY'RE NOT LINED UP AT CITIZENS TO BE HEARD AND THEY'RE NOT LINED UP TO SPEAK AT B SESSIONS OR AT OUR A SESSION MEETING, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THEY'RE OUT THERE WORKING AS HARD AS ANY OTHER SAN ANTONIAN THAT I'VE MET, WAKING UP AT 4:0, AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE BUFFER NOW, IF THEY DO FOR SOME REASON, THERE'S A TRAIN THAT PAUSES THEIR BUS ROUTE OR CONGESTION OR AN ACCIDENT, THAT THEY'RE NOT STRESSING ABOUT THE IDEA THAT IF THEY MISS THAT ONE TRANSFER, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 40 MINUTES, 45 MINUTES, IT MAY BE COMING IN 15, 12, MAYBE 20 MINUTES AT THE MOST.
SO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING US WITH SOME GOOD NEWS.
YOU ONLY HAD YESTERDAY, THE FIRST THREE MONTHS, WHICH IS A 4% INCREASE AND THEN YOU JUST WHISPERED BEFORE WE STARTED HERE TODAY THAT YOU SAW APRIL'S RESULTS JUST COME IN, AND THAT'S A 12% INCREASE.
WHILE THE OTHER ROUTES ARE ACTUALLY SEEING DIPS IN THEIR RIDERSHIP.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK AND TELLING US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRESS BEING MADE.
IT'S ONE THING FOR US TO MAKE THE INVESTMENT, ANOTHER FOR YOU TO COME BACK AND TELL US HOW YOU'RE DOING.
AND THE COMMUNITY, WE HOPE, IS FEELING IT IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS.
WE HOPE THEY CONTINUE TO FEEL IT AND REFLECT POSITIVELY ON THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE MADE.
THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE THIS WAS A CONVERSATION THAT REALLY MET ITS -- WHEN WE DECIDED TO SUPPORT IT IN THE BUDGET.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BEAR FRUIT FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT, MAYOR.
THANK YOU, AGAIN, TO THE FOLKS.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDAÑA.
I, TOO, AM GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO UPGRADE A FEW ROUTES.
IT SEEMED MANY OF THESE ROUTES ON PAGE 4 AGAIN CENTERED AROUND THE KEL/LACK AREA, IS THAT ONE OF THE MAIN TRANSFER AREAS? YOU'VE GOT THREE ROUTES --
>> I THINK THE REASON YOU SEE MOST OF THOSE ON THERE IS BECAUSE MOST OF THE ROUTES GOING IN THERE WERE EITHER AT 60 MINUTES OR ALL DAY, AND SO NOW THEY'RE AT 30 MINUTES.
>> COURAGE: I HAD HONESTLY EXPECTED TO SEE MORE ROUTES THAT WERE LIKE WITH 15 AND 20 MINUTE TIMES, AND I DON'T SEE ANY OF THOSE INDICATED HERE.
NOW, I'M ALSO, THOUGH, HOPEFUL, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT 4.3 MILLION ALLOWING US TO RAISE THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC ON PHASE .
YET FOR ANOTHER 5.7 MILLION WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT TWO MORE ROUTES CHANGING.
WHY ISN'T IT AFFECTING ANOTHER 12 ROUTES OR SO?
IT'S THE ANNUALIZATION OF THE COST THAT HAPPENS IN FISCAL YEAR '18.
SO FISCAL YEAR '18, YOU ONLY HAVE A PARTIAL YEAR IMPROVEMENT.
AND SO WHEN IT GOES TO '19, YOU HAVE TO ANNUALIZE THE COST IN '18 PLUS THE INCREMENTAL FISCAL YEAR COSTS IN '19.
SO YOU ADD THOSE TWO TOGETHER YOU GET ABOUT $10 MILLION.
THE 4.3 MILLION IS PROBABLY -- LET'S SEE, JANUARY, MAY, IT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, 8 MILLION, SEVEN OR 8 MILLION IN '19, THEN YOU ADD THE LAST TWO ROUTES IS PROBABLY 3 MILLION, SO THAT'S HOW YOU GET TO YOUR 10 MILLION.
>> COURAGE: SO THAT 4.3 DIDN'T SUGGEST A WHOLE YEAR'S WORTH OF IMPROVEMENT.
IT WAS ONLY A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME'S WORTH OF IMPROVEMENT.
>> COURAGE: SO IF WE DIDN'T GO TO THAT 10 MILLION, THOSE ROUTES WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE?
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN COURAGE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDAÑA, FOR YOUR RELENTLESSNESS ON THIS, I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL FOR ALL
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OF OUR COMMUNITIES.YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE SURFACE PLAN, I THINK A LARGER CONVERSATION I WANT TO HAVE IS HOW IS THIS GOING TO -- THIS IS INFORMATION THAT WE CAN TAKE AND HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN MOVING FORWARD WITH TOMORROW AND THE 2040 PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF VIA AND THE TRANSPORTATION AS WELL.
SO I'M SEEING WHEN WE CAN LOOK AT FUNDING AND CAN LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES DOWN THE LINE TO SEE HOW WE CAN INCREASE THESE FREQUENCY OF SERVICE IN THE PHASE THREE AND BEYOND, AND THOSE NEW ROUTES THAT WE WILL HAVE, TOO.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE BROOKS TRANSIT CENTER THAT IS BEING BUILT RIGHT NOW TO INCREASE THE FREQUENCY.
I WILL GIVE KUDOS TO THE FACT THAT DURING SICLOVIA, JUST A COUPLE OF SUNDAYS AGO AT THE MISSION MARQUEE, THE ALAMO AREA MPO WAS OUT THERE, AND THEY ASKED ABOUT WHAT WOULD BRING YOU OUT OF A CAR AND ONTO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
AND ALL OF THE POST-IT NOTES THAT THEY HAD GATHERED SAID FREQUENCY OF STOPS AND INCREASED FREQUENCY OF SERVICE.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU-ALL ARE DOING.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THOSE ACCOLADES THERE.
ON ANOTHER NOTE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY HERE, BUT I WANT TO JUST PUT IT OUT THERE IS -- BECAUSE I HAVE YOU HERE --
>> VIAGRAN: -- IS THE LOCATION OF THE BENCHES AND THE SHELTERS FOR THE VIA SITES.
AND TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, AND I GUESS IF YOU-ALL CAN PROVIDE ME WITH INFORMATION OF HOW YOU SELECT THE SLEL TERES FOR THE VIA SITES.
BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR SIDEWALK AND PRIORITIZATION OF SIDEWALKS AND FILLING THE GAPS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS PRIORITIZING THOSE THAT ARE IN AND AROUND SENIOR CITIZENS OR GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LIBRARIES, PARKS.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT SHELTERS, TOO, CLOSE TO OR STOPS NEAR AND CLOSE TO SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER LOCATIONS LIKE THAT.
>> WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THAT'S EVERYONE FOR THIS PART OF IT.
SO NEXT WE'RE GOING TO -- I'LL GET THROUGH THIS AND TALK ABOUT MOBILITY ON DEMAND PROGRAM. WE HAVE AN RFP TO DO A PILOT.
AND AS I SAID, ONE OF THE PILLARS OF VIA'S 2040 PLAN IS BETTER BUS, RAPID TRANSIT CORRIDORS, SMART TRANSIT.
SO SMART TRANSIT IS JUST NEW PAYMENT SYSTEMS LIKE GO MOBILE AND SMART CARD THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING.
AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT, SOLAR LIGHTING, WHICH IS A PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AT SHELTERS.
BEACONS AT BUS STOPS THAT KNOW WHEN -- IT'S THE SUM TOTAL OF ALL THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO BEAR TO IMPROVE MOBILITY AND SAFETY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
I THINK I'LL SKIP THIS, YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO MOBILITY ON DEMAND, WHAT IS IT? IF YOU GO AND GOOGLE IT, IT WILL TELL YOU IT'S A USER-FOCUSED APPROACH THAT LEVERAGES EMERGING MOBILITY SERVICES USING SMART TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATIONS TO IMPROVE MOBILITY OPTIONS.
SO IT'S BASICALLY USING THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE AND TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TO IMPROVE MOBILITY.
AND HOW DO WE WANT TO USE IT? WE WANT TO USE IT TO PROVIDE THE FIRST AND LAST MILE CONNECTIVITY TO THE REST OF OUR TRANSIT NETWORK.
WE WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO PROVIDE SERVICE IN AREAS THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY LOW RIDERSHIP AND LOW DENSITY OF DEVELOPMENT.
SO LET'S LOOK AT THE PILOT ZONE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
IT'S IN THE NORTHEAST AREA, SURROUNDED BY 1604, I-35, BULVERDE AND THOUSAND OAKS.
IT HAS THREE BUS ROUTES TODAY.
THREE BUS ROUTES CARRY ABOUT 700 PEOPLE, PASSENGER BOARDINGS, IN TOTAL.
THEY ARE SOME OF THE LEAST PRODUCTIVE ROUTES THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE LOWEST DENSITY AREA WHERE WE HAVE TRADITIONAL FIXED ROUTE SERVICE.
IF YOU TAKE 700 PASSENGERS AND
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IF YOU COMPARE IT TO THE POPULATION WHO LIVE WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF THESE THREE ROUTES, WITHIN THIS SERVICE AREA, YOU GET 700 VERSUS 63,000 PEOPLE, WHICH IS A LITTLE OVER 1%.SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S A WAY TO PROVIDE BETTER MOBILITY SO THAT MORE THAN 1% OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS SERVICE AREA WILL USE PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE CORNERSTONE OF THIS PARTICULAR PILOT.
WE HAVE AN RFP OUT ON THE STREET, IT'S DUE AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
IT PROPOSES A TURN-KEY SOLUTION TO USE ONE OF THE MANY DIFFERENT PRIVATE PROVIDERS AND TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
WE HAVE TURNED TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU GIVE US YOUR BEST IDEAS IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN IMPROVE MOBILITY TO THIS AREA.
AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE BIDS AS THEY COME IN AND THE IDEAS THAT THEY HAVE, AND DEVELOP A -- WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE THE BEST PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE OF THESE COMPANIES.
WE THINK IT WILL PROVIDE A LOT MORE FLEXIBLE SERVICE, WE'LL GET PEOPLE CLOSER TO WHERE THEY LIVE, AND HOPEFULLY IN A MUCH MORE DIRECT AND FASTER MANNER THAN THE 60-MINUTE SERVICE THAT THEY HAVE OUT THERE TODAY.
SO THE NEXT STEPS IN TERMS OF THIS PROPOSAL, WE GET THEM BACK AT THE END OF MAY, I INVITE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO PARTICIPATE ON THE EVALUATION TEAM, IF SOMEONE'S IN THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, JUST LET US KNOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
WE'LL, YOU KNOW, EVALUATE ALL THOSE, COME BACK, AWARD A CONTRACT IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, DEVELOP A FINAL SERVICE PLAN, GO OUT AND SPEAK TO COUNCILMAN PERRY AND HIS CONSTITUENTS, TALK ABOUT THE TYPE OF SERVICE PLAN THAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR THE AREA AND BEGIN -- AND HAVE AN EXTENSIVE OUTREACH AND MARKETING CAMPAIGN WHICH IF YOU READ THE LITERATURE SAYS IS THE KEY TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH.
SO IF IT FAILS, WE CAN BLAME JOHN GARY OVER HERE.
[CHUCKLING] AND THEN BEGIN THE SERVICE IN JANUARY OF '19.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH MOBILITY ON DEMAND.
AND THEN IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL, WE DO HAVE SOME AREAS IN THE BULL PEN THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT AND SEE IF WE WOULD APPLY IT TO THOSE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
>> COULD YOU TELL ME AGAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NUMBERS IN THE PILOT ZONE.
YOU HAVE 700 PASSENGERS A DAY.
WHAT'S THE METRIC? IT'S LIKE A PER HOUR, THAT'S HOW YOU DETERMINE HOW PRODUCTIVE THE ROUTES ARE, RIGHT?
SO ALL DAY ON ALL THREE ROUTES, I THINK ONE IS LIKE 250.
ANOTHER 12 -- I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL IN IN 200S, 200 PASSENGERS ADAY.
THE PASSENGERS PER HOUR ARE ROUGHLY, AND, ART, CORRECT ME, IN THE EIGHTISH -- EIGHT TO 10 PASSENGERS PER HOUR, WHICH IN TERMS OF HOUR SERVICES IS VERY POOR.
>> AND IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, RIDERSHIP IN OTHER CITIES, MAYBE NOT HORRIBLE, BUT CERTAINLY NOT UP TO THE LEVEL THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT OF A ROBUST MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM.
SO YOU CAN ARGUE, WELL, LET'S GO TO 30 MINUTES AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
NOW YOU HAVE DOUBLE THE HOURS, AND IF YOU DON'T CARRY THAT MANY MORE PASSENGERS, RIGHT, YOUR PRODUCTIVITY BECOMES HALF.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AS A WAY TO -- YOU KNOW, IT MAY INCREASE RIDERSHIP.
WE CERTAINLY HOPE IT INCREASES RIDERSHIP.
WE CERTAINLY EXPECT THAT IT WILL INCREASE RIDERSHIP BECAUSE IT WILL BE A MORE ATTRACTIVE SERVICE TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE CLOSE TO BUS STOPS, WHICH IN THAT AREA IS A HIGHLY
[00:35:01]
SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO RIDING TRANSIT IN TERMS OF THE CONNECTIVITY OF THE STREETS, YOU KNOW, THE SIDEWALK SITUATIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.>> SANDOVAL: SO REAL QUICK, SO PASSENGERS COMPARED TO HOUR, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE SYSTEMWIDE AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR SOME OF YOUR BEST PERFORMING ROUTES?
>> SYSTEM WIDE, I THINK IT'S LIKE LOW 20S.
THE BEST PERFORMERS ARE PROBABLY IN THE HIGH 20S.
SO DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THE COST PER RIDE IS GOING TO BE WHEN -- IF -- YOU KNOW, IF THIS WORKS OUT, VERSUS WHAT -- AND HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO WHAT WE'RE PAYING TODAY IN THAT AREA?
THE COST PER RIDE ON THOSE ROUTES TODAY IS ABOUT 50% HIGHER THAN THE SYSTEM AVERAGE.
>> SANDOVAL: AND WHAT IS THAT NUMBER?
>> SYSTEM -- YEAH, THE SYSTEM AVERAGE IS 5, AND THIS IS 8.
8 PER PASSENGER ON THESE ROUTES VERSUS 5 PER PASSENGER SYSTEMWIDE.
>> WHAT WOULD I EXPECT IT TO BE? I REALLY -- IT'S HARD TO TELL, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THE COST STRUCTURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING IN WITH, RIGHT?
>> SANDOVAL: SO YOU'RE HOPING IT WILL BE LESS, THAT'S THE --
>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T THINK WE'RE EVEN -- IF IT COMES IN LESS, THAT'S GREAT.
BUT IF WE DON'T SAVE MONEY, THAT'S OKAY, AS LONG AS THE SERVICE IS BETTER AND WE CARRY MORE PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE HAVE A HIGHER LEVEL OF SATISFACTION.
AND THEN ARE YOU -- IS THE RFP OR THE BID THAT YOU HAVE OUT THERE, IS THAT LOOKING AT A FIXED ROUTE DEMAND RESPONSE OR ARE YOU LOOKING AT DOOR SERVICE?
>> DYNAMIC DISPATCHING AND DOOR TO POINT OR IT COULD BE MANY TO ONE OR ONE TO MANY.
WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH.
A LOT -- THE RFP IS VERY FLEXIBLE IN TERMS OF ASKING THEM TO COME TO US WITH WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS THE BEST SOLUTION.
AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS IN THE SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE CANDIDATES FOR THIS TYPE OF SERVICE IN THE FUTURE?
>> THE NORTHWEST AREA, SO ALAMO RANCH, 1604, A LITTLE BIT NORTH OF ALAMO RANCH, ALONG THERE.
THERE'S -- I THINK WE'VE EVEN BEEN LOOKING ON THE EAST SIDE IN KIRBY, POSSIBLY, AND -- AND THERE MAY BE OTHERS.
I MEAN, DEPENDING ON HOW THIS PILOT TURNS OUT, IT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, A SUCCESS AND IT MAY BE APPLICABLE TO MORE AREAS, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE JUST HAVING A DISCUSSION EARLIER ABOUT WHEELCHAIR USERS, AND HOW MIGHT THIS AFFECT THEIR ABILITY TO BE PART OF THE SYSTEM?
THE SERVICE WILL BE ACCESSIBLE.
SO ANYONE WHO IS CONTRACTED TO DO THIS WILL HAVE AN ACCESSIBLE VEHICLE.
>> ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES, UH-HUH.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON THAT.
SO DISTRICT 10, UP IN THAT AREA, IS THAT YOUR -- IS THAT YOUR WORST PERFORMING AREA IN SAN ANTONIO? YOU SAID IT'S POOR, BUT IS THAT THE WORST IN SAN ANTONIO?
>> I'D SAY IT'S ONE OF THE TWO.
THERE'S -- THE NORTHWEST SECTOR, TOO, ALSO HAS ROUTES THAT ARE PERFORMING SIMILARLY IN TERMS OF THEIR PRODUCTIVITY LEVEL.
YEAH, I'M -- IN -- AS OUR DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLAINTS UP IN MY AREA WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPTY BUSES.
I'M ALL BEHIND THIS AND EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE REAL RESULTS ARE GOING TO BE ON THIS.
AND THAT'S -- THAT WILL -- THAT WILL TELL US IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WORKS OR DOESN'T WORK.
ALONG WITH THAT, YOU TALK ABOUT MARKETING CAMPAIGN AND GETTING THE WORD OUT.
YOU KNOW, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I'LL HELP ADVERTISE THAT IN OUR -- MY NEWSLETTER AND CROSS ALL THE DIFFERENT MEDIA OUTLETS THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO.
AND AS FAR AS THE -- THE ACTUAL ROUTES THEMSELVES, ARE Y'ALL GOING TO BE RELOOKING AT THOSE ROUTES THEMSELVES OR KEEPING THE ROUTE WHERE IT'S AT?
[00:40:01]
>> THEY -- IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, WILL NOT BE FIXED ROUTES.
THEY'LL BE ROUTES THAT GO ALL OVER, JUST LIKE AN UBER OR A LIFT OR A TAXI.
>> THEY WILL NOT BE FIXED ROUTES, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD.
NOW, THEY MAY COME BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE FIXED ROUTE ALONG NACOGDOCHES AND YOU SHOULD HAVE THESE OTHER ROUTES THAT GO ALONG AND SO FORTH.
THAT MAY WELL BE -- IN GENERAL, THE IDEA IS THAT THEY WILL NOT BE THE SAME TYPE OF FIXED ROUTES THAT ARE OUT THERE TODAY.
AND HOW LONG IS THIS RFP SET UP FOR? HOW MANY -- SIX MONTHS, A YEAR, TWO YEARS, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
>> PERRY: ONE YEAR WITH OPTIONS?
>> HOW MANY OPTIONS? IS IT FOUR -- FOUR ONE-YEARS? ONE YEAR WITH FOUR ONE-YEAR OPTIONS.
SO DURING THAT PROCESS, IF WE'RE NOT GETTING THE EXPECTED RESULTS...
>> WE CAN ADJUST, WE CAN CHANGE, WE CAN ALTER, WE CAN -- YEAH.
AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO BE KEYED IN VERY CLOSELY ON THAT.
>> PERRY: AND, AGAIN, I'LL HELP ADVERTISE, GET THE WORD OUT, THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT -- YOU KNOW, AND I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT ACTUALLY USING IT, AND USING YOUR APP.
I THINK IT'S STILL A LITTLE CONFUSING AND NOT EASY ENOUGH TO USE.
ARE Y'ALL LOOKING AT THAT APP ANYMORE ABOUT MAKING IT MORE USER-FRIENDLY?
>> WELL, I CAN SAY WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT OUR APP TO MAKE IT FRIENDLY, EASIER, MORE CONNECTED TO MORE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF WHAT RIDERS DO.
SO -- BUT WE'LL BE HAPPY TO MAYBE DO A BRIEFING ON THAT FOR YOU AND SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT --
>> PERRY: THEY TRIED LAST TIME AND IT DIDN'T WORK.
WE'LL HAVE TO GET A -- WE HAVE TRAVEL TRAINING.
WELL, YEAH, I JUST THINK THAT THERE IS MORE REFINEMENT THAT CAN BE MADE.
>> PERRY: BECAUSE EVEN IN DISTRICT 10, YOU KNOW, IT'S -- IT'S AN -- IT'S MORE OF AN ELDER POPULATION UP THERE AND NOT EVERYBODY HAS APPS AND SMARTPHONES AND COMPUTERS, THAT KIND OF THING.
>> PERRY: SO WHAT'S THE FALLBACK FOR THAT? I MEAN, HOW ELSE CAN THEY ACCESS THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OTHER THAN GOING THROUGH THAT?
WE WILL MAINTAIN A PROVISION WHERE THEY CAN CALL AND PAY CARBON THE VEHICLE.
BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, A GOOD PORTION OF THE PEOPLE LIVE HERE DO NOT HAVE SMARTPHONES.
WE DON'T WANT TO LOCK THEM OUT OF THE SERVICE.
>> PERRY: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE NORTHEAST AREA IS MAKING TRANSPORTATION ON DEMAND.
>> COURAGE: WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, WHEN YOU WANT TO GO.
PROBLEM TO HAVE IT'S GOING TO BE TOO POPULAR.
WHEN WE DID IT ON VIA TRANS SERVICE, WE HAD TO PUT A CAP BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE WANTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH IN THE BUDGET.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE SERVICE DELIVERY QUESTIONS ARE THINGS THAT WE WILL GO THROUGH WHEN WE TALK TO -- WHEN WE WORK IT THROUGH WITH THE CONSULTANT THAT WE SELECT.
BUT THEY'RE GREAT -- I MEAN, THEY'RE --
>> COURAGE: ARE YOU GOING TO CREATE A BUDGET THAT SAYS SO MUCH MONEY IS GOING TO BE DEVOTED TO THIS?
AND EVERY BUDGET, INCLUDING NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, WE WILL HAVE AN AMOUNT SET ASIDE.
>> COURAGE: YEAH, BECAUSE I CAN SEE, LITERALLY, A COUPLE OF THOUSANDS PEOPLE SAYING, HEY, I CAN GET OVER TO H-E-B, I CAN GET OVER TO THE LIBRARY, KI GO TO THE MOVIE, YOU KNOW, TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY THAT THEY CAN TRAVEL.
>> COURAGE: AND I UNDERSTAND THE IDEA IS TO PROVIDE BETTER MOBILITY SERVICE IN THE DISTRICT, BUT I CAN SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKING SUCH AN ADVANTAGE OF THAT THAT IT CAN BECOME VERY EXPENSIVE FOR VIA.
>> COURAGE: THE OTHER THING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW IS YOU'RE PUTTING MORE CARS ON THE ROAD INSTEAD OF BUSES, WHICH TODAY ARE LESS POLLUTANT.
[00:45:04]
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE INDIVIDUAL CARS PICKING THEM UP AND TAKING THEM AROUND.SO INSTEAD OF 700 PEOPLE TAKING A BUS, YOU'LL HAVE 700 MORE CARS DOING EXTRA ROUTES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, MAYBE EVENTUALLY 1,000 OR 2,000 CARS DRIVING AROUND, BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO MORE PLACES.
SO I JUST WORRY ABOUT HOW THAT CAN BE EXPANDED AND THEN IT'S ON THE NORTHWEST, MAYBE IT'S ON THE EAST SIDE, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, JUST MORE THOUSANDS OF CARS ON THE ROAD RUNNING PEOPLE AROUND, AND HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE QUALITY OF OUR AIR AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CARS ON THE ROAD AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S MY CONCERN ABOUT THAT KIND OF INDIVIDUAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
>> I JUST HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS.
>> ONE IS THAT IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, THESE WILL BE TRIPS TO TRANSIT CONNECTIONS.
SO IN GENERAL, THEY WILL BE GOING TO PICK UP A BUS TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
OKAY? SO THE ENTIRE TRIP WILL NOT BE PRESUMABLY ON ONE OF THESE VEHICLES.
THE SECOND THING I'LL JUST SAY IS IT WILL BE A SHARED RIDE.
SO IT WILL NOT BE UBER IN THE SENSE THAT YOU CALL, YOU GET ON AN UBER AND YOU GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
YOU MAY GET ON THIS VAN WITH TWO OR THREE OTHER PEOPLE FROM THE TRANSIT CONNECTION AND GO TO WHEREVER, BUT IT MAY GET YOU A LOT CLOSER TO WHERE -- IN FACT, YOU MAY NOT HAVE EVEN USED TRANSIT IN THE PAST BECAUSE IT WAS A HALF MILE -- THE BUS STOP WAS A HALF MILE FROM YOUR HOME, SO --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
I THINK YOU JUST PRESENTED TWO OF THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY THINGS THAT VIA HAS DONE PROBABLY IN THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS, AND YOUR PULSE DID NOT RACE JUST ONCE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: CONGRATULATI ONS.
GREAT PRESENTATION, GREAT STUFF AND GREAT PLATFORM TO BUILD FROM.
[2. Briefing on autonomous vehicles, including the current state of technology and levels of automation, as well as on a potential Request for Information on testing autonomous vehicles in San Antonio. [Peter Zanoni, Deputy City Manager; Mike Frisbie, Director, Transportation & Capital Improvements]]
>> SCULLEY: MAYOR, THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS AN INTERESTING TOPIC.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, AND THIS WILL INCLUDE THE CURRENT STATE OF THE TECHNOLOGY AND LEVELS OF AUTOMATION THAT EXIST FOR VEHICLES AS WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE DEVELOPING TODAY.
AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT A PROCESS FOR A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION, POTENTIALLY, ON TESTING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IN SAN ANTONIO.
AS YOU KNOW, BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, THERE'S NO FULLY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE YET TODAY, ALTHOUGH WE CONTINUE TO BE TOLD THAT THIS DAY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
AND COMING SOON SOONER THAN WE THINK.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR VEHICLES AND RELATED EQUIPMENT.
CURRENTLY, HOWEVER, THERE ARE NO FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, AND SO WE WANT TO TALK WITH YOU TODAY, THERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES THAT ARE AVAILABLE WITH REGARD TO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, BUT NO ACTUAL REQUIREMENTS.
SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY IS THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY, THE TECHNOLOGY ANDSUGE DISCUSSED AS TO HOW WE MOVE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY AND HELP FACILITATE THIS DEVELOPMENT IN SAN ANTONIO.
ART REINHARDT, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DEPARTMENT IS HERE TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS --
THANK YOU, SHERYL, THANK YOU, COUNCIL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S EXCITING AND EMERGING AND I'M EXCITING TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND HAVE A HEALTHY DIALOGUE AFTER.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DID TALK TO THE INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE BACK IN FEBRUARY ON WITH COUNCILMAN PELAEZ CHAIRING THAT, AND HE RECOMMENDED COMING TO A FULL B SESSION TO TALK IN DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THE MANAGER JUST MENTION AND THE POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS.
ALSO WITH ME TODAY WE'VE GOT JOSE DE LA CRUZ, OUR CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER AND CRAIG HOPKINS OUR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER.
THEY'LL GET THE HARD QUESTIONS AND I'LL TAKE THE OTHER ONES.
BEFORE I GET INTO THE PRESENTATION, AGAIN, WE'LL COVER KIND OF THE STATE OF TECHNOLOGY, THE FEDERAL VERSUS STATE RESPONSIBILITY -- AUDIO] -- QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE THAT YOU ALL CAN READ.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONFLICTING VIEWPOINTS AS WELL.
SO WE'LL STAY TO THE FACT AS BEST WE KNOW THAT ARE BEST AVAILABLE TODAY.
BUT AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS, JUST THINK ABOUT THE DISRUPTION THAT COULD BE COMING. IT'S POTENTIALLY THE BIGGEST DISRUPTION FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT OF OUR GENERATION.
BESIDES THE OBVIOUS DISRUPTION TO JOBS THAT DEPEND ON JOBBING, SUCH AS RIDESHARES OR TAXIS OR
[00:50:04]
SERVICE DELIVERY DRIVERS, THOSE ARE THE OBVIOUS, BUT THERE'S OTHER JOBS THAT COULD BE IMPACTED AS WELL THAT WE MAY NOT THINK ABOUT.WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY IF THERE ARE NO DRIVERS TO INSURE, OR POTENTIALLY THE REVENUES THAT ARE GENERATED FROM OWNING A VEHICLE.
THERE'S THOUGHTS ON NO LONGER INDIVIDUALLY OWNING A VEHICLE, IT WOULD BE MORE OF A FLEET, SHARED SERVICE APPROACH.
SO VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEES, GAS TAXES, THINGS THAT GO TO FUND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHAT GOES -- HAPPENS TO ALL OF THAT? THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE DON KNOW YET THAT WE'LL GO THROUGH TOGETHER.
AND LASTLY, WHAT ARE THE NEW INNOVATIVE IDEAS THAT ARE GOING TO COME ABOUT, WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESSES SUCH AS MICROTRANSIT ORIENTED BUSINESSES WHETHER IT WILL BE GROCERY STORES ON WHEELS THAT WILL JUST COME TO US.
WE MAY NOT NEED LARGE SUPERSTORES.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT COULD BE COMING YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN SOME MOVEMENT TOWARD THAT WITH RIDESHARE ABILITIES SO HAVE THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND AS WE GO THROUGH SOME OF THIS.
SO FIRST OFF, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF DEFINE WHAT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ARE.
AND GENERALLY WHAT THEY ARE IS A FULLY AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM IS WHERE THERE'S NO NEED FOR DIRECT HUMAN INTERACTION WITH THE VEHICLE.
SO YOU CAN JUST SIMPLY SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE RIDE.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT IS.
THE DEFINITION YOU SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN IS FROM THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, BUT I CHOSE NOT TO READ IT VERBATIM.
AS WE GET INTO THE NEXT STEPS, I WANTED TO KIND OF PAINT THE PICTURE OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN.
SO THE IMAGES YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN HERE ARE FROM THE 1950S AND THE 1930S.
THE ONE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS FROM A 1950S PUBLICATION THAT SHOWS A FUTURISTIC VIEWPOINT OF OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
IT SHOWS AUTOMATED VEHICLES RIDING ON AN ELECTRIC HIGHWAY BASICALLY THAT HAS SENSORS THAT GUIDES THE VEHICLE.
THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS FROM THE FUTURE RAM MA EXHIBIT IT FROM THE WORLD FAIR.
WHAT THEY DON'T SHOW ARE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND AND MOVING AROUND.
JUST PRIOR TO THOSE IMAGES, WE HAVE MARKETPLACE NEXT TO THE RIDE WAYS.
ON THE RIGHT IS A PICTURE OF STATE STREET IN CHICAGO IN THE 1920S WHERE YOU HAD ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION OUT ON THE STREET.
THE AUTOMOBILE WAS JUST COMING AROUND, YOU PAD PEOPLE WALKING -- YOU HAD PEOPLE WALKING AND INTERACTING.
WHILE THIS WAS GOING ON, THERE WAS STILL THIS VISION OF THE FUTURE AND SOME OF THE STRUGGLES THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
THIS IS FROM SEE CLOVE VA, SO TWICE A YEAR WE CLOSE OUR STREETS.
AS WE'RE HERE NOW IN THE FUTURE FROM BACK THEN WE'RE STILL STRIVING TO GET BACK TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE MAY HAVE MISSED.
AS INNOVATORS THINK FORWARD, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KIND OF CAPTURE SOME OF THIS.
SO GETTING INTO THE TECHNOLOGY.
THE SOCIETY OF AUTOMATED ENGINEERS HAS ALREADY PRETTY MUCH ESTABLISHED WHAT THE LEVELS OF AUTOMATION ARE.
THERE'S SIX DIFFERENT STARTING AT 0 AND GOING THROUGH 5.
I'LL KIND OF WALK THROUGH THOSE HERE.
SO LEVEL 0 IS THERE'S NO AUTOMATION IN THE VEHICLE.
THAT'S YOUR NORMAL VEHICLE WHERE YOU GET IN AND YOU GO, LEVEL 0.
LEVEL 1 IS WHERE YOU'RE STARTING TO GET SOME OF THE FEATURES SUCH AS THE LANE ASSIST, WHERE YOU GET A BEEP IF YOU'RE STARTING TO DRIFT OVER, OR MAYBE THE REVERSE PARKING FEATURES THAT SOME VEHICLES HAVE NOWADAYS, AND SO SOME OF THOSE DRIVER-ASSIST VEHICLES.
THE OTHER ONE IS THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL THAT SOME VEHICLES HAVE.
THAT'S CONSIDERED A LEVEL 1, BECOMING MORE AND MORE COMMON TODAY.
AND ALL THESE LEVELS SORT OF BUILD ON EACH OTHER TO GET TO THAT ULTIMATE END GAME OF FULLY AUTOMATION.
LEVEL 2 IS SORT OF WHERE THE TESLAS ARE THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT IN THE NEWS A LOT.
CADILLAC ALSO HAS AN OPTION OUT THERE AS WELL, AND THAT'S WHERE THERE IS SOME AUTOMATION WHERE THE VEHICLE CAN TAKE OVER.
HOWEVER WHAT I'LL SAY FOR DRIVER 2, THE DRIVER MUST REMAIN ENGAGED.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN THE NEWS BACK IN 2016 THERE WAS A FATALITY TESLA HAD FROM A DRIVER WHO WAS IN THE AUTO PILOT MODE.
AGAIN IN 2018, A SIMILAR THING OCCURRED IN AUTOMATED MODE, SO THERE'S STILL SOME SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS THAT NEED TO BE HAD, AS WELL AS YOU MAY HAVE ALL HEARD RECENTLY BACK IN MARCH, UBER AND THEIR TESTING KILLED A PEDESTRIAN.
SO THERE'S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO IN DEVELOPING THAT TECHNOLOGY.
LEVEL 3 IS REALLY WHERE -- HAS IN THEIR A8, AND I HAVE A VIDEO IN THE NEXT SLIDE I'LL SHOW OF THAT OPERATION.
THAT IS WHERE THERE IS A SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT THE DRIVER CAN TRULY ENGAGED -- THEY HAVE TO STAY ALERT, BUT THEY CAN TAKE THEIR HANDS OFF AND THE VEHICLE WILL DRIVE ITSELF.
LEVELS 4 AND 5 ARE NOT AVAILABLE TODAY.
[00:55:01]
PURCHASE THAT FROM THE NEARBY DEALERSHIP.THE INDUSTRY IS SAYING MAYBE TWO TO THREE YEARS UNTIL THAT TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE, BUT THEN WE GET INTO SOME OF THE REGULATIONS AND THINGS THAT I'LL COVER LATER.
SO ON THIS SLIDE, THERE'S A VIDEO, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START IT.
RIGHT NOW, AND, AGAIN, THIS IS OF A LEVEL 3 AUTOMATION THAT AUDI HAS.
>> [INAUDIBLE] I HAVE STEFAN AND [INDISCERNIBLE] AND JULIA'S OUR PHOTOGRAPHER IN THE BACK.
TODAY WE ARE TESTING OUT THE NEW AUDI A8 TRAFFIC SYSTEM.
>> IT'S ACTUALLY A SNEAK PREVIEW OF THE CIRRUS PRODUCTION A8.
>> WELL, TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU OUR SYSTEM, THE TRAFFIC JAM PILOT, WHICH OPERATES AUTONOMOUSLY IN TRAFFIC JAMS UP TO 60 MILES PER HOUR, WHICH IS ROUGHLY 37 MILES PER HOUR AND I WOULD LIKE TOE TALK -- TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE NEW SYSTEM WHICH IS THE BRAND-NEW, AND THE FIRST TIME ON THE MARKET, A LEVEL 3 SYSTEM.
SO NOW YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LOT OF RED BRAKING LIGHTS, WHICH IS GOOD FOR US TODAY.
>> SO NOW I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU, NOW THE SYSTEM'S ALWAYS MONITORING ITS LIMITS IN THE SITUATION.
>> AND NOW YOU CAN SEE IT'S SHOWING US THAT TRAFFIC JAM PILOT IS AVAILABLE.
SO YOU'RE VISUALLY INDICATING BY THE TWO WHITE LIGHTS ON THE --
THERE'S A TEXT, THERE'S AN EYE ICON, THERE'S THE BUTTON, WHICH IS ILLUMINATED IN WHITE STRIPES.
>> SO AS SOON AS I'M READY AND THE SYSTEM IS READY, IT TELLS ME I'M AVAILABLE, I PRESS THE BUTTON, TAKE THE HANDS OFF THE WHEEL, MY FEET OFF THE PEDALS AND WE'RE IN PILOTED MODE.
>> SO SO NORMALLY THERE'S NOT FLASH.
>> EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED IN GREEN COLOR, AND THAT'S -- ILLUSTRATES TO ME THE CAR IS DRIVING.
>> SO AT THIS POINT, THIS IS WHEN AUDI ASSUMES FULL CONTROL BECAUSE IT'S THE PERFECT CONDITION FOR THE SYSTEM TO KICK IN.
>> HOW -- HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE IN TERMS OF SECONDS BEFORE YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW TO TAKE OVER?
>> WELL, THIS IS THE NEW THING ABOUT LEVEL 3.
WITH LEVEL 3, THE SYSTEM ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO GIVE THE PROMPT TO TAKE OVER VEHICLE CONTROL AGAIN AHEAD OF TIMES, WHICH IN THIS CE UP TO 10 SECONDS.
>> SO IF THE TRAFFIC JAM SITUATION CLEARS UP OR ANY FAILURE IN THE SYSTEM OCCURS, EVERYTHING YOU MIGHT THINK OF, THE SYSTEM STILL NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE AUTOMATICALLY BECAUSE THE DRIVER HAS THIS TIME TO TAKE OVER.
>> SO LET'S BACK UP A LITTLE BIT.
WALK THROUGH WHAT IS AUDI AI TRAFFIC JAM.
LET'S BREAK DOWN THE SIMPLE COMPONENTS.
>> LET'S START WITH WHEN IS THE TRAFFIC JAM AVAILABLE TO THE DRIVER.
>> SO WE NEED TO BE, OF COURSE, TO BE IN A TRAFFIC JAM.
THAT MEANS HAVE A CONVOY IN FRONT OF US, HAVE A CONVOY ON THE ADJACENT LANES.
>> DOES IT MATTER WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE SURFACE ROAD OR ON THE FREEWAY, OR DOES IT -- IS IT TREATED THE SAME WAY?
>> YOU HAVE TO BE ON A HIGHWAY OR A MULTIPLE LANE ROAD.
>> IT HAS TO HAVE MARKS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SEPARATION OF THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A ROAD BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE CONNECTED LANES.
IT SHOULDN'T BE ANY PEDESTRIANS OR TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN SIGHT.
THERE'S A COUPLE MINUTES LONGER, BUT IT GOES INTO SOME MORE DETAIL ON THE SPECIFICS OF IT, BUT IN SHORT, THAT IS A LEVEL 3 WHERE YOU CAN TRULY DECEMBER DECEMBER -- DISENGAGE.
AS THE GENTLEMAN SAID, THERE ARE CERTAIN FACTORS, THE ROADWAY HAS TO BE DIVIDED, YOU HAVE TO BE KIND OF WITHIN THAT CONFINED ENVIRONMENT.
A COUPLE THINGS ON THE TECHNOLOGY THERE, SO AUDI AND SOME OF THE OTHER MANUFACTURERS USED A COMBINATION OF LIDAR, WHICH IS MILLIONS OF LASER LIGHTS THAT ARE SENT OUT AND BOUNCE BACK -- AUDIO] -- SENSORS TO DEDETECTIVE VEHICLES.
SO THERE IS A -- DETECT VEHICLES.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN TECHNOLOGY.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE LIKE WAMO ARE OUT THERE MAPPING THE CITY IN ADVANCE, USING THAT DATA AND USING THAT IN COMBINATION WITH
[01:00:03]
LIDAR TO DO THEIR TESTING.THERE'S CERTAINLY A LOT OF NUANCES WITH THE TECHNOLOGY.
TALKING WITH SOMEONE EARLIER, IT'S SORT OF IN THE BETA VERSUS VHS ERA.
I'VE ONLY HEARD MY PARENTS TALK ABOUT THAT.
JUST KIDDING, I WAS OLD ENOUGH FOR THAT.
>> SO WE'LL SEE WHERE THE TECHNOLOGY GOES.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY, BUT -- SO YOU MIGHT WONDER, WELL, IF IT'S STILL DEVELOPING, WHY WOULD WE WANT TO DO THIS? SO THERE ARE -- OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS, THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS I'LL COVER NEXT, BUT POTENTIAL BENEFITS ARE ABOUT SAFETY.
SO ANNUALLY ABOUT 40,000 PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY DIE FROM ROADWAY FATALITIES.
THIS STATISTIC IS 94% OF THOSE ARE DRIVER ERROR.
SO IF YOU CAN TAKE THE DRIVER OUT OF THAT, WE WOULD EXPECT THE NUMBER TO COME WAY DOWN.
NOW, OBVIOUSLY AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE HAS BEEN SOME CHALLENGES, AND IT'S A NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT'S DEVELOPING, BUT THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT'S ABOUT THE SAFETY.
SECONDLY, THERE WILL BE IMPROVEMENTS IN CONGESTION.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE VEHICLES MOVING TOGETHER, IF THEY'RE CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE TOGETHER CLOSELY.
THAT WOULD -- SO IN A CLOSER SMALLER SPACE, ALLOW MORE SPACE AVAILABLE IN OUR LANES TO MOVE MORE VEHICLES, SO THERE COULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT IN CONGESTION.
ALSO IN THE EMISSIONS, IF THE VEHICLES ARE OPERATING MORE EFFICIENTLY, THEY MAY NOT BE HARD BRAKING OR FAST ACCELERATING BECAUSE THERE IS NO HUMAN ELEMENT IN THAT, AND A LOT OF THE NEWER TECHNOLOGY IS BECOMING ELECTRIC ANYWAY, SO THERE'S BENEFITS THERE.
SOME OF THEIR SERVICES, AND IF YOU LOOK AT JUST UBER AND LYFT, THOSE AREN'T TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES, THEY'RE TECH COMPANIES THAT DO TRANSPORTATION, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION -- THERE'S NO -- IF YOU'RE NOT DEPENDING ON A DRIVER, THOSE THAT ARE EITHER TOO OLD OR TOO YOUNG TO DRIVE OR DISABLED MAY HAVE MORE MOBILITY THAN THEY DO TODAY BECAUSE THESE VEHICLES WILL -- FEDERAL LEVEL AND A STATE AUDIO] -- YOU HAVE A DRIVERRED VEHICLE LANE.
SO THERE'S SOME PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES THAT WE MAY NEED TO DO AS WELL.
AND THEN ALSO POTENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES TO MAKE THE TECHNOLOGY WORK.
THEN THERE'S THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE LIABILITY.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT OUR STATE LAW AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS IN DEPTH AND SOME OF THE OTHER LAWS AROUND, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE? IF IN THE FUTURE THERE'S NO INDIVIDUAL CAR OWNERSHIP AND IT'S JUST A FLEET OF VEHICLES OWNED, IS IT THE OWNER OF THAT VEHICLE THAT'S RESPONSIBLE OF THE CRASH OR THE DEVELOPER OF THE AUTOMATED TECHNOLOGY.
I MENTIONED THAT AS A BENEFIT, BUT WHAT IT COULD LEAD TO IS SPRAWL.
SO RIGHT NOW IF YOU HAVE A LONG COMMUTE, YOU MAY NOT
>> YOU'RE ABLE TO WORK AS YOU ARE COMMUTING, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT DRIVING, YOU MAY BE LESS INCLINED TO MOVE CLOSER INTO TOWN, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE FOR S.A. TOMORROW.
IT COULD BE A BENEFIT TO CONGESTION BUT IT COULD LEAD TO MORE SPRAWL.
WE'LL HAVE TO SEE AS TIME GOES ON.
AS FAR AS RESPONSIBILITIES, FEDERAL AND STATE.
FEDERAL, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ESSENTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MOTOR VEHICLE ITSELF.
SO THE EQUIPMENT AND THE VEHICLE ITSELF THOSE HAVE TO GO THROUGH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS TO GET APPROVED TO BE OUT FOR MARKET.
ON THE STATE SIDE, THE STATES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HUMAN, THE DRIVER'S LICENSE LAWS, THINGS LIKE THAT, AS WELL AS THE TRAFFIC LAWS WE FOLLOW.
THAT'S KIND OF THE KEY DIFFERENCE THERE.
VEHICLE VERSUS DRIVER AND TRAFFIC LAWS.
SO I MENTIONED THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS.
THOSE RIGHT NOW ARE -- HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR DECADES.
AND THERE'S NUANCES SUCH AS ALL VEHICLES MUST HAVE A STEERING WHEEL OR BRAKE PEDAL OR ACCELERATION PEDAL.
THOSE MAY NOT BE NEEDED IN THE FUTURE BUT IN THIS PERIOD WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW THERE'S WAIVERS THAT MAY NEED TO BE PROVIDED SUCH THAT SOME OF THESE AUTOPILOT FEATURES MAY NEED TO GO THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE.
SO THAT'S SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES, AGAIN.
THE VEHICLE ELEMENT AND THEN THE DRIVER AND THE LOCAL LAW ELEMENT.
AS FAR AS THE FEDERAL SIDE, LIKE I SAID, THERE REALLY ARE NO REGULATIONS.
WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID THROUGH THE USDOT AND NATIONAL
[01:05:01]
HIGHWAY SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, THEY ISSUED VOLUNTARY GUIDANCE AND IT LISTS 12 DIFFERENT VOLUNTARY GUIDANCE CATEGORIES RANGING FROM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS, DATA REQUIREMENTS -- I SAY REQUIREMENTS -- BEST PROPERTY PS AND THERE ARE SIMPLY BEST PRACTICES THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T HAVE THE MEANS TO REGULATE OR ENFORCE.BUT THEY HAVE DEVELOPED THESE SO THAT AS THE INDUSTRY IS MOVING FORWARD THEY CAN MAKE THESE CONSIDERATIONS AND COME UP TO SOME SORT OF STANDARD PRACTICE.
AND SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY IT FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
THERE'S SOME PROPOSED LEGISLATION PROPOSED LAST FALL.
I BELIEVE IT'S STILL IN THE SENATE AND IT'S IN THE STATUS OF LIMBO RIGHT NOW.
ON THE STATE SIDE, CURRENTLY THERE'S ABOUT 33 STATES THAT HAVE ADOPTED SOME FORM OF LEGISLATION EITHER THROUGH THEIR LEGISLATIVE SESSION OR THROUGH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER.
ABOUT 20 OF THOSE LAWS, THE STATE LAWS, ARE GEARED TOWARD TESTING OR PILOT REQUIREMENTS.
VERSUS A FULL OPERATION THAT TEXAS HAS AND SEVEN OTHERS WHERE AUTOMATED VEHICLES ARE ALLOWED TO OPERATE WITHOUT CONDITIONS.
THERE'S A HANDFUL OF LAWS, JUST FROM READING YOU DON'T KNOW IS IT LIMITED TO A CERTAIN USE OR CAN THEY OPERATE FULLY.
SO THIS JUST KIND OF SHOWS THE UNCERTAINTY, EVEN FROM A STATE LEVEL, OF FOLKS HAVING DIFFERENT SORT OF LAWS IN PLACE.
THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR THE INDUSTRY AS WELL TRYING TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU MAY HAVE TO STOP AT YOUR STATE LINE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK IN ANOTHER STATE.
SO SENATE BILL 2205 BECAME LAW BACK IN SEPTEMBER.
IT ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS FULLY AUTOMATED VEHICLES ON ANY PUBLIC STREET IN TEXAS.
THERE ARE SOME CONDITIONS HERE.
THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY COMPLY WITH ALL VEHICLE TRAFFIC LAWS.
TRAFFIC AND MOTOR VEHICLE LAWS AS WELL AS THEY HAVE TO HAVE A RECORDING DEVICE EQUIPPED.
THEY HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ANY SORT OF FEDERAL CRITERIA, WHICH I'VE JUST MENTIONED, THEY ARE LIMITED.
THE VEHICLES HAVE TO BE REGISTERED AND TITLED IN THE STATE.
IN THE LAST ONE IS SORT OF THE BIGGEST ONE FOR US.
THE STATE LAW PREEMPTS LOCAL ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT ANY SORT OF REGULATION OR FRANCHISE ON THE AUTOMATED VEHICLE OPERATIONS.
SO ESSENTIALLY IT'S WIDE OPEN USE IN TEXAS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN TOMORROW SOMEONE COULD COME AND START OPERATING.
I TALKED ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY.
IT'S NOT QUITE THERE YET BUT THAT FIRST BULLET, THEY HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THEY CAN MEET EVERY LAW WE HAVE.
AND THERE'S SOME LAWS AT THIS POINT IT DOES TAKE A HUMAN TO UNDERSTAND.
ONE OF THOSE BEING AS YOU DRIVE THROUGH CONSTRUCTION ZONES OR DOWNTOWN WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS WHERE WE MAY HAVE POLICE OUT DOING TRAFFIC CONTROL AND THE SIGNAL IS SAYING ONE THING AND THERE MAY BE A GREEN LIGHT BUT POLICE IS HOLDING TRAFFIC.
HOW WILL THE AUTOMATED VEHICLE RESPOND TO THE SIGNAL AND NOT NECESSARILY SEE THE OFFICER? OR OTHER CASES SUCH AS STOPPING FOR A SCHOOL BUS TO LET CHILDREN GO IF YOU ARE GETTING PASSED BY AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE HAVING TO PULL OVER.
I WOULD SAY IF SOMEBODY SHOWED UP TOMORROW TO OPERATE THEY WOULD NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT TO US BEFORE WE WOULD BE COMFORTABLE IN SAYING THEY MEET THE STATE LAW.
OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE KEEPING APPRISED OF WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING AND THE BEST PRACTICES OUT THERE.
THERE'S A HANDFUL OF CITIES OUT THAT HAVE DONE SOME COMMERCIAL TESTING PROGRAMS EITHER WITH UBER OR WAYMO.
THOSE CITIES SUCH AS PITTSBURGH, AUSTIN, AND PHOENIX HAVE BEEN OUT FOR A YEAR PLUS DOING SOME TESTING.
THERE'S ALSO BEEN SOME CITIES THAT HAVE ISSUED A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE ONE IN LAS VEGAS.
IT'S A FIXED ROUTE SHUTTLE AS WELL AS UP 35 IN ARLINGTON.
A FIXED ROUTE SHUTTLE ON PART OF A PARK LINEAR TRAIL CONNECTING FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER TO ARLINGTON TRAIL.
THERE'S DIFFERENT THINGS OUT THERE DOING TESTING AND DOING DEMONSTRATIONS, REALLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL COVER MORE ON THAT IN A MINUTE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY SORT OF TESTING YET BUT TO SAY WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WOULD BE INCORRECT.
WE HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS STATEWIDE INNOVATION ALLIANCE.
SOUTHWEST RESEARCH, TEXAS A&M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE, AND U.T. AUSTIN CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER OVER A YEAR ON SOME DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT THE KEY FOCUS IS WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO LEVERAGE EACH OTHER'S RESOURCES.
WHAT'S GOOD FOR ONE CITY IS GOING TO BE GOOD FOR US, AND WE'RE ALL GOING TO CREATE SOLUTIONS TOGETHER AND SHARE
[01:10:01]
BEST PRACTICES.KIND OF THE TWO THINGS WE HAVE DONE SO FAR IS YOU MAY RECALL A YEAR AGO IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE USDOT SAN ANTONIO WAS SELECTED ONE OF THOSE.
I'LL COVER THAT IN DETAIL IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A STREET-WIDE PROCUREMENT FOR AUTOMATED VEHICLES.
WE HAVE TEAMED WITH BUY BOARD THAT WE CAN BUY GOODS AND SERVICES FROM.
WE HAVE PUT OUT SOME SPECIFICATIONS WORKING WITH THE ALLIANCE ON THIS AND THE PREBID ON THAT WAS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
SO IN THE FUTURE THERE WOULD BE A SET LIST OF VEHICLES.
YOU CAN BUY AN AUTOMATED VEHICLE OR A SERVICE.
A COMPLETE TURNKEY SERVICE OR EVEN LEASE VEHICLES FROM.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS THAT.
SO IN THE FUTURE WHEN THERE IS A USE CASE WE HAVE THAT ABILITY.
SO AS FAR AS THE LOCAL PROVING GROUND, I DO RECALL PRESENTING IN SOME OF THE COMMITTEES ON THIS TOPIC, SO YOU MAY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING.
FREDERICKSBURG ROAD WAS THE TEST BED SITE THAT WE SELECTED AS PART OF OUR SAN ANTONIO DESIGNATION.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT WAS TWO-FOLD.
FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW COULD AUTOMATED VEHICLES IMPROVE SAFETY.
FREDERICKSBURG ROAD THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PEDESTRIAN CROSSING THAT ROAD.
UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CRASHES OVER THE YEARS.
FROM OUR VISION ZERO PROGRAM WE WERE LOOKING TO SEE HOW AUTOMATED VEHICLES WOULD IMPROVE THAT.
AND VIA, WHETHER IT PREVENTS THAT BUSES FROM BUNCHING UP AND OTHER THINGS.
SO THOSE THREE THINGS TOGETHER ARE WHY WE HAD CHOSEN FREDERICKSBURG ROAD.
NO TESTING HAS BEEN DONE TODAY ON FRED BUT IT REMAINS A DESIGNATED PROVING GROUND FROM THE USDOT.
THERE'S SORT OF TWO WAYS WE CAN GO ABOUT THIS.
WE CAN BE A REACTIVE STATE AND WATCH THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOP AND AS IT COMES TOWARD SAN ANTONIO WE CAN EMBRACE IT AND PARTNER WITH DIFFERENT FOLKS.
OR WE CAN GO OUT AND BE PROACTIVE AND PERHAPS ISSUE A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION.
TO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THE INDUSTRY ABOUT HOW WE WOULD WANT TO GO ABOUT DOING TESTING AUTOMATED VEHICLES.
I THINK THE KEY THING IS NOT JUST TO DO DEMONSTRATIONS BUT TEST WITH A PURPOSE, TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
WE WOULD RECOMMEND ISSUING A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON A HANDFUL OF SPECIFIC USE CASES.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE FIRST AREA -- AGAIN, WORKING WITH CRAIG AND JOSE ON THIS, THEY ARE DEVELOPING SOME INNOVATION ZONES AROUND THE CITY.
THAT COULD BE A GREAT USE CASE ON TESTING AUTOMATED VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY.
THE SECOND ONE COULD BE A CITY EMPLOYMENT SHUTTLE.
AS AN EXAMPLE, MYSELF AND SEVERAL OTHERS, WE HAVE TEAMS BOTH IN THIS BUILDING AND DOWN THE ROAD AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES WHO ARE CONSTANTLY GOING BACK AND FORTH.
IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE PROJECT TO IMPLEMENT SOME TYPE OF AUTOMATED SHUTTLE THAT COULD TAKE YOU BACK AND FORTH.
THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.
THE NEXT ONE COULD BE AN INTEGRATION TO OUR CITY FLEET.
IF YOU THINK IN THE FUTURE, EVERYTHING COULD BE AUTOMATED.
IN THE MEANTIME THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT THIS TECHNOLOGY.
NOT THE SWEEPER ITSELF BUT THE SWEEPER ON THE ARTERIAL ROADWAYS HAVE A SHADOW VEHICLE BEHIND IT.
THAT WOULD BE ONE THAT YOU COULD POTENTIALLY AUTOMATE.
THERE WOULD STILL BE SOMEONE IN THE VEHICLE TO MONITOR BUT THEY COULD PERHAPS BE DOING OTHER THINGS AS WELL TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE.
THAT CAN BE A SPECIFIC USE CASE AS WELL.
ALSO IN CONVERSATIONS WITH JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, THERE IS A GAP.
VIA DOES GREAT WORK BUT THEY HAVE TO STOP AT THE GATES, ESSENTIALLY.
SOME OF THOSE CAMPUSES ARE HUGE.
TALKING ABOUT A MILE WALK FROM WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO WHERE YOUR VEHICLE WAS.
SO THERE COULD BE A CIRCULATOR OR SOMETHING DEVELOPED WITHIN THE BASE THAT WOULD LINK PEOPLE UP WITHIN THE BASE TO THE GATE.
THAT'S A TRUE ISSUE TO SOLVE THERE.
LASTLY IS THE USDOT PROVING GROUND.
THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WENT THROUGH A NATIONAL COMPETITION TO BE SELECTED.
WITH THAT, THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND CRAIG AND JOSE ARE HERE FOR THOSE HARD ONES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, ART, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
JUST TO CLARIFY, AS A RESULT OF THE STATE LEGISLATION, ANY ADDITIONAL REGULATION THAT WE WOULD ATTEMPT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL WOULD BE PREEMPTED.
OURS IS REALLY HOW DO WE HANDLE WHAT IS ALREADY A STATE
[01:15:01]
REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT.I THINK YOUR INSTINCT IS RIGHT ON THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION.
ON THE JBSA EXAMPLE, IS THAT SOMETHING WE WOULD DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH JOINT BASE?
SO EVERY ONE OF THOSE USE CASES WOULD BE DONE AS PART OF OUR TEAM SAN ANTONIO, WHICH IS INCLUDING VIA, JBSA, SOUTHWEST RESEARCH AND OTHERS, TXDOT AND THE MPO AS WELL.
IT WOULD ALL BE A PARTNERSHIP.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THIS IS REALLY EXCITING STUFF.
I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE PUSHING FORWARD ON IT.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND THE TESTING THEY HAVE DONE? HOW IS THAT PART OF THIS CONVERSATION?
>> SO SOUTHWEST RESEARCH -- WE ACTUALLY -- I'M NOT GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, MIKE, BUT MIKE IS HERE FROM SOUTHWEST RESEARCH AND HE'S BEEN PART OF OUR TEAM.
BUT THEY HAVE BEEN TESTING FOR OVER A DECADE ON TECHNOLOGY.
CERTAINLY AS WE HAVE BEEN IN PAST DISCUSSIONS AND MOVING FORWARD THEY ARE RIGHT THERE AT THE TABLE AS A BEST PRACTICE, LEARNING FROM THEM.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: I KNOW AT LEAST IN THE PREAMBLE OF THE S.A. TOMORROW MOBILITY PLAN THIS WAS CONTEMPLATED.
IS THERE ANYTHING FURTHER THAT WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT WITH REGARD TO AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND THE S.A. TOMORROW?
THAT'S WHY I SHOWED ON ONE OF THE SLIDES THE LINK TO VISION ZERO AND S.A. TOMORROW.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANKS, ART.
BUT LOOKING BACK ON YOU HAD -- I FORGET WHICH SLIDE IT WAS BUT YOU HAD TWO OPTIONS.
ONE TO WAIT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE TECHNOLOGY TO BE DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED OR SENDING IT OUT TO BE USED VERSUS GOING OUT AND BEING PROACTIVE.
WHAT'S THE DOWNSIDE OF BEING REACTIVE? IN OTHER WORDS, FIELDING IT WHEN IT'S READY?
>> THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY A DOWNSIDE TO EITHER ONE OF THESE OPTIONS.
IT'S GREAT TO BE PROACTIVE, AND THE THING WITH RFI, IT'S NOT BINDING.
WE WOULD PUT IT OUT AND SEE WHAT THE INDUSTRY SAYS.
THERE MAY BE SOMETHING THAT LOOKS GREAT OR THEY MAY COME BACK AND SAY WE CAN'T REALLY DO ANY OF THESE.
AND WE'LL BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TECHNOLOGY IS.
JUST BEING REACTIVE, YOU KNOW, THE CLOSEST THING YOU CAN COMPARE IT TO IS WHEN THE TRANSIT NETWORK COMPANIES SHOWED UP AND WE KIND OF HAD TO STRUGGLE TO SEE HOW DOES THIS COMPETE OR AFFECT OTHER BUSINESSES.
SO, AGAIN, THERE IS SOME THOUGHT THAT THE TECHNOLOGY WHEN IT'S READY IT WILL COME.
I WOULDN'T SAY THERE'S NECESSARILY A DOWN SIDE TO EITHER.
I THINK WE WOULD TRY TO GET MORE INFORMATION OF WHAT CAN BE DONE GOING THROUGH THE RFI PROCESS.
>> PERRY: THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM ON THIS.
TECHNOLOGY WILL COME AND EVERY YEAR WE'RE MAKING HUGE ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY.
YOU'VE HEARD THIS ANALOGY FROM ME BEFORE.
WHEN I WAS IN GRADE YEAR, BY THE YEAR 2000 WE WOULD BE LIKE THE JETSON'S FLYING AROUND EVERYWHERE, BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
BUT WITH THE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES I DON'T SEE THE DOWN SIDE WITH BEING REACTIVE.
AND THE DOWN SIDE I SEE WITH BEING PROACTIVE IS, YEAH, WE GET OUT THERE AND WE GET IN WITH THE TESTING AND BEING ON THE CUTTING EDGE AND FRONT EDGE OF THIS STUFF.
I WOULD NOT WANT MY NAME ON A PROACTIVE APPROACH DOING THAT AND SOMEBODY GET HURT OR GET KILLED WITH BEING OUT ON THAT CUTTING EDGE BEFORE THE SYSTEM IS READY TO BE DEPLOYED.
>> A COUPLE OF THINGS ON THAT, COUNCILMAN.
SO JUST GOING BACK TO THE REACTIVE.
THE BENEFIT OF DOING AN RFI, WE'LL BETTER UNDERSTAND USE CASES SO THAT WHEN IT DOES SHOW UP, EVEN IF WE DON'T TAKE AN RFI ANY FURTHER, WE'LL HAVE A SET OF QUESTIONS FOLKS NEED TO ANSWER TO EXPLAIN HOW THEY OPERATE.
THE BENEFIT SAN ANTONIO HAS WITH SOUTHWEST RESEARCH BEING IN OUR BACKYARD, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT ANY SORT OF USE CASE, THERE'S A CAMPUS RIGHT THERE THAT'S BEEN TESTING FOR OVER A DECADE TO BE ABLE TO PROVE IT OUT BEFORE WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH ANYTHING.
BUT CERTAINLY, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE SAFETY CONSIDERATION.
I MEAN, I MENTIONED IT EARLIER.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME FATALITIES BUT EACH ONE OF THOSE DAYS, THE AVERAGE IS 100 PEOPLE DIE A DAY
[01:20:04]
NATIONWIDE FROM A ROADWAY FATALITY.UNFORTUNATELY SAFETY IS A HUGE CONSIDERATION.
AND THAT'S MY CONCERN ABOUT BEING PROACTIVE AND ACTUALLY OUT THERE WITH THE TESTING AND DOING THAT AND TRYING TO BE ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF THAT.
THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN ABOUT BEING PROACTIVE.
BUT AN RFI TO SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND WHAT TO PLAN FOR, THAT KIND OF THING, SURE.
BUT I WOULD BE HESITANT ABOUT ACTUALLY FIELDING A SYSTEM BEFORE IT'S VIABLE, BEFORE IT'S COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO THEN THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE AN RFI.
THEN WE WOULD ALL DISCUSS A POTENTIAL USE CASE.
THEN POTENTIALLY ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.
THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY ASPECT WOULD COME IN AND WE WOULD ALL NEED TO SIT DOWN AND SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT TO DO.
THAT'S A FUTURE ACTION THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD MAKE IN THE FUTURE.
>> PERRY: YEAH, I HEARD SOME -- GOSH, I THINK IT WAS ON TV LAST NIGHT.
COUNCILMAN PELAEZ SAID, YEAH, BY 2019 WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES RUNNING UP AND DOWN FREDERICKSBURG ROAD.
>> SO THE INDUSTRY, JUST FROM READING AND SPEAKING WITH FOLKS.
TWO TO THREE YEARS IS WHEN WE THINK THAT TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE.
RIGHT NOW THAT LEVEL THREE IS WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
TO GET TO THAT LEVEL FOUR OR FIVE, A COUPLE OF YEARS OUT.
IT WOULDN'T BE THE JETSON'S YET.
THAT'S DECADES AWAY BECAUSE SOME OF US HAVE OLDER VEHICLES THAT WE DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF.
>> THERE'S THAT MIX OF TRAFFIC THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.
IF YOU COMPARE IT TO HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, NOT EVERYONE HAS THOSE YET.
JUST MY THOUGHTS ON GOING OUT AND LOOKING VERSUS FIELDING SOMETHING AND GETTING IT ON THE ROAD RIGHT AWAY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PERRY.
I THINK THIS STUFF IS GOING TO BE HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT.
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THAT WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT ALL THIS.
I THINK ONE ASPECT THAT I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT REGARDING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES THAT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOP IN, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE CPS IS A CITY-OWNED UTILITY, IS HOW AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES PLAY A ROLE IN ENERGY STRATEGIES OF THE FUTURE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
WHAT'S EXCITING ABOUT AUTONOMOUS, NOT JUST FOR TRANSPORTATION, BUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR ENERGY.
THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY STORING ENERGY AND ARE ABLE TO RELEASE IT DURING PEAK DEMAND HOURS.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING THING FOR THIS CITY THAT IS SEEING A NEED TO FIND A RESPONSE FOR THOSE PEAK DEMAND HOURS.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOP IN CPS TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON THEIR END TO TEST OUT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND WHAT IT MEANS TO OUR POWER SUPPLY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TREVINO.
ART, WE APPRECIATE YOU RUNNING DOWN A LOT OF RESEARCH WITH OTHER TEAMS AND PUTTING TOGETHER A STAKEHOLDER GROUP TO GET SMARTER ON HOW TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
COUNT ME AS SOMEBODY WHO IS COMPLETELY INTRIGUED BY THE CONCEPT OF TRANSPORTATION IN THE 22ND CENTURY.
IT'S GOING TO MEAN THE 21ST CENTURY HAD TO HAVE A FIELDING, TO USE A TERM THAT COUNCILMAN PERRY HAS ROLLED OUT.
THAT'S WHERE I'LL LEAVE IT FOR NOW.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF FIELDING THAT HAPPENS IN THE 21ST CENTURY BEFORE THIS IS A JETSON'S TYPE OF SCENE OUT THERE.
SOUTHWEST RESEARCH IS LOOKING AT A LOT OF ELEMENTS OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, NOT JUST FOR PLACEMENT ON ROADWAYS AND DRIVEWAYS, BUT IN INDUSTRY AS WELL.
I THINK WE ARE WORKING ON THINGS THAT WOULD -- SMART ROBOTS INSTEAD OF THE DUMMY ROBOTS THAT DO BACK AND FORTH OPERATIONS.
THESE ROBOT OPERATIONS THAT MOVE.
IS THERE SPACE WITHIN YOUR CONVERSATION? OR SHOULD WE JUST LEAVE THIS AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, AS LARGE OF A TOPIC AS THAT IS, AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON AND NOT GET TOO CONVOLUTED.
YOU TALKED ABOUT FLEETS FOR US.
VIA, CERTAINLY, HAS TO BE CONSIDERING THIS.
BUT TALK ABOUT THE FULL BREADTH.
>> TODAY OUR CONVERSATION HAS BEEN LARGELY FOCUSED ON THE
[01:25:01]
VEHICLE IMPACT FROM A TRANSPORTATION PERSPECTIVE.BUT FOLKS ARE THINKING ABOUT IT.
AUSTIN HAS ISSUED AN RFI FOR MORE ON THE DELIVERY SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, PILOTING ROBOTS FOR DELIVERIES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, THERE IS SOME THOUGHT TOWARDS THAT.
THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD, AT LEAST, HAVE BEEN REALLY FOCUSED ON THE VEHICLE ASPECT.
I THINK THIS TECHNOLOGY IS ACTUALLY GOING TO MOVE MUCH FASTER THAN A LOT OF US THAN THEY PREDICT.
I CAN RECALL BEING A SENIOR AT STANFORD AND DOING SOME RESEARCH.
STANFORD HAPPENS TO HAVE ONE OF THE TOP AUTONOMOUS DRIVING PROGRAMS AT THE TIME.
I THINK CARNEGIE WAS NUMBER ONE AND STANFORD WAS NUMBER TWO THAT HAD THESE AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE CHALLENGES.
I REMEMBER HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH SEBASTIAN, WHO IS PRETTY POPULAR IN THE FIELD.
AND A STUDENT BODY OF US, FOUR OR FIVE OF US, POSED THE QUESTION OF WHEN WILL WE SEE FULLY AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ON THE ROADWAYS.
HIS ANSWER WAS THAT NOT IN MY LIFETIME.
AND I THINK HE WOULD ACTUALLY GO BACK AND AMEND THAT STATEMENT.
THE TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED THAT QUICKLY.
THE QUESTION WAS POSED WHEN ALL OF US COULD TAKE THE HANDS OFF THE WHEEL AND LET THE VEHICLES DRIVE THEMSELVES.
I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT HE'S TALKED ABOUT SINCE AS THE REASON HE BELIEVES THAT NOT TO BE TRUE IS NOT BECAUSE THE TECHNOLOGY WON'T BE FAST ENOUGH.
THE PROBLEM WILL BE THE HUMAN WILL TO ACTUALLY WANT TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
AND THE FACT THAT CLAYTON PERRY DOESN'T WANT TO LET GO OF HIS CORVETTE, THOSE ARE THE REASONS WHY.
THEY POSED THE QUESTION TO HIM IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND HE ANSWERED IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY SAYING THE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE READY IN TEN YEARS AND HUMANS WILL BE READY IN 50 YEARS.
BY THE TIME YOU GET FOLKS COMFORTABLE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, YOU WILL GET THAT FINAL CORVETTE OFF THE ROAD.
THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY DUMB CAR LEFT.
FOLKS IN THE FUTURE WILL BE LOOKING BACK AND SAYING IT'S UNBELIEVABLE IN THE 21ST CENTURY THEY WOULD BE OKAY WITH 40,000 DEATHS A YEAR BECAUSE PEOPLE, SILLY PEOPLE WITH THEIR ERRORS AND MISTAKES WERE BEHIND THE WHEELS OF CARS.
BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO PROVE TO US IS THAT TODAY WE'LL SAY MAYBE WE'RE NOT READY FOR IT BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO MOVE SO QUICKLY THAT WE'LL START TO SEE IT SOONER AND SOONER AND FOLKS WILL HAVE TO LEARN TO ADAPT.
AND I THINK THE REGULATION IS A STRONG PIECE FOR US BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO HAVE THEIR FINGERPRINTS ON ACCIDENTS.
AND WHEN YOU'RE FIELDING SOME OF THESE AND MAKING ERRORS, IT LOOKS BAD ON EVERYONE.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE PART THAT'S GOING TO BE SLOW IS THE PILOTING OF THE EXPERIENCE AND THE PRACTICE OF GETTING IT DONE.
BUT COUNT ME AS SOMEBODY WHO IS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, TRYING TO PREDICT THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT IN TERMS OF A LABOR FORCE, INSURANCE COMPANIES, AND THINGS THAT WE CAN'T EVEN THINK OF TODAY.
IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU ALL ARE STEPPING INTO US.
THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING B SESSION PRESENTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE ABILITY TO SPIN THE MIND WITH THE NOTIONS OF THE FUTURE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SALDANA.
>> SANDOVAL: THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AND, COUNCILMAN, THANKS FOR SHARING THESE ITEMS WITH B SESSION AND NOT JUST AT OUR TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING, WHERE I KNOW WE COULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THEM.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S RELEVANT FOR EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL TO CHIME IN ON WHERE THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION IS GOING.
EITHER HERE OR WITH VIA OR NATIONALLY.
I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SAFETY BENEFITS OF THIS I ABSOLUTELY THINK WE SHOULD GET THERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IF IT MEANS SAVING LIVES ON OUR ROADS.
SO FOR ME THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE HEARING AND KNOWING WHAT THOSE TRADE-OFFS ARE GOING TO BE.
BUT AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING LIKE A -- LIKE SOMEONE WHO IS NOT INTERESTED IN MAKING PROGRESS OR A DINOSAUR, I REALLY WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH STAFF TIME ARE WE SPENDING ON THIS? WHAT DO YOU THINK THE COST WOULD BE IF WE END UP DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS? AND REALLY WHERE DOES THIS FALL IN OUR PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION WITH THE CITY? OBVIOUSLY I CAN THINK OF THINGS THAT ARE CONCRETE AND NEEDED.
I THINK THEY ARE NEEDED SOONER AND WE CAN ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH THEM SOONER THAN THIS.
CONVINCE ME WHERE THIS FALLS IN THE LIST OF PRIORITIES.
>> WE END PRETTY SOON, SO I MAY NOT GET THERE.
IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE PACE OF TECHNOLOGY AS IT IS CHANGING.
YOU KNOW, JUST THINKING OF IT FROM A TRANSPORTATION DEMAND PERSPECTIVE.
ONE OF THE GOALS IS TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF SINGLE OCCUPANCY
[01:30:01]
VEHICLES.THE STAT IS 80% OF SAN ANTONIANS DRIVE ALONE TO WORK.
THAT'S PRIMARILY BECAUSE THAT'S THE MOST FREQUENT AND EASIEST AND CONVENIENT THING TO DO.
IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO OWN A VEHICLE BECAUSE THERE'S FLEETS OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES RUNNING AROUND, MAYBE YOU COULD DO SHARED SERVICES OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW AND BE PART OF, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN DOING AS PART OF THIS STATEWIDE ALLIANCE I TALKED ABOUT.
AND I THINK IT DOESN'T HURT TO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THE INDUSTRY ON SPECIFIC THINGS.
THERE IS A TRUE GAP IN TRANSPORTATION AT JBSA.
THEY HAVE THOUSANDS OF CADETS THAT COME IN AND THEY DON'T HAVE A VEHICLE WITH THEM.
SO HOW DO YOU GET THEM FROM POINT A TO B ON BASE? YOU COULD HAVE A SHUTTLE SYSTEM THAT COULD LINK UP.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING TO EXPLORE WHAT THAT PARTICULAR NEED IS.
I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND DOING IT JUST TO SAY SAN ANTONIO IS DOING IT, BUT TO LOOK AT A PROBLEM AND TRY TO SOLVE THAT WITH THE TECHNOLOGY.
>> SANDOVAL: CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH STAFF TIME IS BEING SPENT? WOULD YOU SAY 20% OF ONE FTE?
>> IT'S BEEN PRIMARILY US WORKING WITH EVERYTHING ELSE BALANCING THAT.
WE HAVEN'T DEDICATED A SINGLE PERSON TO IT.
>> I WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT SPECIFICALLY, BUT I THINK THERE IS TIME NEEDED TO PREPARE FOR THIS AS IT COMES IN.
SO AS ART JUST TALKED ABOUT SOME VERY SPECIFIC PROBLEMS THAT WE COULD GO OUT AND ASK HOW WE COULD SOLVE.
BUT I THINK WE DO NEED TO HAVE A POSITION AS A CITY HOW WILL WE DEAL WITH THESE THINGS AS THEY HAPPEN.
MY FAVORITE ONE IS THE FLYING PIZZA DELIVERY VEHICLE.
PIZZA HUT WILL BE DELIVERING PIZZA THROUGH AUTONOMOUS DRONES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
H-E-B WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEND AN AUTONOMOUS DRONE WITH GROCERIES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AT LEVEL TWO THERE ARE CARS DRIVING UP AND DOWN 281 WITH THEIR HANDS OFF THE WHEEL AND ACCELERATOR, BECAUSE LEVEL TWO EXISTS.
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING AS A CITY TO SAY HOW WILL WE ACCEPT OR PREPARE FOR THESE THINGS, WHETHER THAT IS AIR SPACE ABOUT WHERE DRONES FLY, WHETHER THAT IS DEDICATED LANES, THAT REQUIRES THE ATTENTION, I BELIEVE.
>> SANDOVAL: TO A GREAT EXTENT I AGREE.
OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SHOULDN'T JUST BE ABOUT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OR SIGNAL TIMING.
THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP PEOPLE MOVE THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE CONCRETE.
AND I DO THINK WE SHOULD HAVE RESOURCES DEDICATED TO THAT.
BUT I STILL WANT TO GET A SENSE OF IF THIS ENDS UP GOING OUT AS AN RFP, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IN DOLLARS?
>> SO THE RFI WOULD BE ZERO DOLLARS, NON-BINDING.
WE COULDN'T GUESSTIMATE ON AN RFP AT THIS POINT.
I THINK THE ARLINGTON SHUTTLE IS ABOUT $200,000? I'M LOOKING.
SO THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM RUNNING IN ARLINGTON IS A MILO SHUTTLE.
THAT'S WAY DOWN THE ROAD WE WOULD WANT TO SEE WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR US.
I DON'T THINK IT'S A SECRET, AND I'LL SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE, THAT I ACTUALLY THINK TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT IS A HIGHER PRIORITY THAN THIS RIGHT NOW.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HOW YOU BRING THAT UP INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT I'M RELUCTANT TO HAVE US INVEST STAFF TIME IN THIS WHEN WE STILL HAVE THIS OTHER VERY PRESENT PROBLEM IN TRANSPORTATION THAT I FEEL WE SHOULD HAVE A ROLE IN AS WELL.
>> I THINK THEY ARE SOMEWHAT CONCURRENT.
THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY LINK THE TEAMS WE HAVE AT THE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS.
RIGHT NOW SOMEONE DRIVES THEMSELVES AND PARKS.
THERE ARE SOME BENEFITS THERE, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE POINT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
I STEPPED OUT, SO JUST IN CASE I MISSED IT.
I DO FEEL, ART, THAT I HAVE TO CORRECT YOU.
AS MUCH AS I ENJOYED THIS PRESENTATION AND I THINK IT'S REALLY COOL AND I REALLY ENJOY WE'RE PURSUING THIS BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY REASONS.
SAID IN YOUR PRESENTATION, AND I HAVE HEARD IT A NUMBER OF TIMES, THAT 93% OF COLLISIONS ARE USER ERROR.
AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO CORRECT THAT.
I HAVE HEARD THIS NOW A COUPLE OF TIMES FROM YOU AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE STAFF.
[01:35:01]
EVERYTHING WERE USER ERROR, MEANING IT'S THE DRIVER, THEN WE ALL WOULDN'T NEED TO BE HERE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS WE AS POLICYMAKERS, POLICYMAKERS HAVE DECIDED FOR DECADES TO INVEST IN A SYSTEM WHERE YOU HAD NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE BUT TO DRIVE MANY, MANY MILES AT VERY FAST SPEEDS.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S CONTRIBUTED TO SO MANY FATALITIES IS DESIGN.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE HIGH RATES OF FATALITIES AND MANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO OUR ROAD SYSTEM AND THE WAY THAT IT IS, BUT WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO DESIGN THAT.
AND THAT WAS A DECISION THAT WE MADE.
IT'S NOT THE INDIVIDUAL USERS' ERROR.
AND WE KNOW THE MAJORITY OF FATALITIES ARE OCCURRING ON 1% OF OUR ROADWAYS.
AND THANKFULLY VERY FEW OF THOSE ERRORS RESULT IN A DEATH OF MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO JUST STOP USING THAT LANGUAGE.
>> I UNDERSTAND YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THAT.
AND SO THE STAT, THE 94% OF DRIVER ERROR.
THAT'S SIMPLY LOOKING AT THE FACTS FROM THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY.
WHEN WE SAY USER DRIVER ERROR, THAT'S THEY WERE SPEEDING OR DISTRACTED OR UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
THAT DOESN'T GET AT THE BIGGER PICTURE YOU PAINTED ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF IT WASN'T JUST A STRAIGHT ROADWAY WITH FIVE LANES, THEY MAY NOT BE INCLINED TO SPEED.
THAT GETS AT WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING AT.
AS A DESIGNER, AS AN ENGINEER, THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
BUT THE 94% WAS BASED ON DO THEY FOLLOW THE LAWS OR NOT.
IT'S SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT THE DRIVER.
>> GONZALES: I THINK THIS SORT OF SPEAKS TO MY POINT IS WE DESIGNED A SYSTEM WHERE IF YOU MAKE AN ERROR YOU'LL DIE.
ONE OF THE WAYS WE DO THAT -- THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS BY INVESTING IN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES OR INVESTING IN DIFFERENT KIND OF TRANSPORTATION OR INVESTING IN PUBLIC TRANSIT OR DESIGNING A CITY THAT'S MORE COMPACT AND CONNECTED WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES OR INVESTING IN RAIL TO AUSTIN AND THE 35 CORRIDOR.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK TO PUT IT ON THE INDIVIDUAL DRIVER IS JUST TAKES A LOT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OFF OF US TO HAVE TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS.
WE'LL JUST STAY ON OUR CURRENT PATH AND LET PEOPLE FEND FOR THEMSELVES.
SO IT'S JUST A COMMENT I HAD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WITH SORT OF ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT RELATES TO OUR CONVERSATION EARLIER ABOUT VIA AND OUR DECISION TO INVEST $10 MILLION IN THAT SYSTEM.
BECAUSE IT'S A SAFER OPTION FOR PEOPLE.
WE KNOW THAT ALSO PEOPLE THAT USE PUBLIC TRANSIT ALMOST 100% OF THE TIME ARRIVE SAFELY AT THEIR DESTINATIONS.
SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARRIVE SAFELY IS A RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE AS POLICYMAKERS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THROUGH VISION ZERO THE CORE BELIEF IS PEOPLE DO MAKE MISTAKES.
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE SHOULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION SO WHEN MISTAKES ARE MADE SOMEONE DOESN'T DIE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN GONZALES.
WELL, THANK YOU, ART, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[Executive Session]
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THE RFI.AT THIS POINT WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE TIME IS NOW 3:50 P.M. ON THIS 16TH DAY OF MAY, 2018.
PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY GRANTED BY CHAPTER 551 IN THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.087, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.072 REAL PROPERTY, LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO CHARTER POSSESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY, AND ANTICIPATED LITIGATION RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
[Ceremonial Recognitions]
WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING.THIS IS SO EXCITING TO HAVE EVERYBODY HERE IN THE CHAMBERS TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR CEREMONIAL AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAVE SEVERAL CEREMONIAL ITEMS THAT WE ARE GOING TO
[01:40:02]
PRESENT, AND WE ARE STARTING WITH VISITOR EXPERIENCE MONTH.[CHEERING] DURING THE MONTH OF MAY 2018 VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND ITS COMMUNITY PARTNERS WILL JOIN THE U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION IN CELEBRATING VISITOR EXPERIENCE MONTH.
THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY WILL UTILIZE THE OBSERVANCE TO SHARE THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY, AND CHAMPION THE POWER OF TRAVEL.
WELL, LET'S GET -- WE'LL GET STARTED WITH THAT ONE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GOOD EVENING.
SORRY I WAS -- COUNCILMAN SALDANA AND I WERE BACKSTAGE WITH THE BALD EAGLE JUST A MOMENT AGO.
BUT WE ARE HAPPY NOW TO PROCLAIM THAT WHEREAS DURING THE MONTH OF MAY, 2018, VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND ITS WHOSPITALITY PARTNERS WILL JOIN THE U.S. TRAVEL ASSOCIATION IN RESERVING -- OBSERVING VISITOR EXPERIENCE MONTH AND WHEREAS TRAVEL AND TOURISM IS THE THIRD LARGEST INDUSTRY IN THE ALAMO CITY, IT IS A CRUCIAL ECONOMIC DRIVER AND EMPLOYEES ONE OUT OF EIGHT CITIZENS, AND WHEREAS A CERTIFIED TOURISM AMBASSADORS PROGRAM, ENHANCES THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE, TRAINED MORE THAN 4500 INDIVIDUALS SINCE THE CTA PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED FIVE YEARS AGO, AND WHEREAS THE SAN ANTONIO TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY WILL UTILIZE A MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY AND TO CHAMPION THE POWER OF TRAVEL.
NOW THEREFORE, I, RON NIRENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 2018 TO BE VISITOR EXPERIENCE MONTH.
>> [INAUDIBLE] COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, MY NAME IS CASSANDRA [INAUDIBLE] PROUD CEO VISITOR SAN ANTONIO.
EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON WE HELD THE INAUGURAL VISIT SAN ANTONIO HONORS PROGRAM WHERE WE GAVE OUT OUR INDUSTRY'S TOP AWARDS OF THE YEAR.
THE ROBERT H.H. HUGMAN AND THE CERTIFIED TOURISM AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM THOSE AWARD WINNERS MOMENTARILY.
LAST WEEK WE CELEBRATED THE 35TH ANNUAL NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK IN SAN ANTONIO, AND MANY OF YOU TOOK AND PARTICIPATED IN MANY OF THE EVENTS THAT ALLOWED US TO THANK MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HELPED SUPPORT THE $14 BILLION INDUSTRY.
IT WAS NOTABLE -- IT WAS A NOTABLE TIME AS WE CELEBRATE SAN ANTONIO'S TRICENTENNIAL AND THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HEMISFAIR.
THE EVENT THAT SPURRED THE GROWTH OF TOURISM IN OUR CITY.
WE ALSO CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF VISIT SAN ANTONIO, WHICH WAS FORMED IN 1968 AS THE SAN ANTONIO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU.
SO PERHAPS IT'S PARTICULARLY NOTABLE THAT THIS YEAR'S THEME OF NATIONAL TRAVELER AND TOURISM WEEK IS THEN AND NOW, AND, SAN ANTONIO, WE LOOK IN EVERY DIRECTION AND SEE HOW TODAY'S LANDSCAPE HAS EVOLVED SO SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST FIVE DECADES.
TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY IS A BIG REASON FOR THAT, DRAWING NEARLY 21 MILLION OVERNIGHT LEISURE VISITORS A YEAR TO OUR GREAT CITY AND EMPLOYING NEARLY 130,000 SAN ANTONIANS.
YOU'LL NOTE BEHIND ME THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS OF OUR INDUSTRY, AND IN PARTICULAR I'D LIKE TO THANK MARCO BARROS, PRESIDENT AND ZOE OF SAN ANTONIO TOURISM COUNCIL, AMANDA GARCIA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AND JUSTIN HOLLY CHAIRMAN OF THE SAN ANTONIO HOTEL AND LODGING BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THESE LEADERS ARE JOINED BY MANY OTHER INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION PRESENT TODAY.
[01:45:02]
ANTONIO BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ALAMO AREA HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION, CENTRO AND SO MANY OTHERS.JUST LAST WEEK WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE HOTEL INDUSTRY AT THE SAN ANTONIO HOTEL AND LODGING PINEAPPLE AWARDS.
THE PINEAPPLE IS THE INTERNATIONAL SYMBOL OF HOSPITALITY AND WELCOME, AND FOR THIS REASON TO COMMEMORATE THE VISITOR APPRECIATION MONTH, WE HAVE PRESENTED EACH OF YOU A VERY OWN PINEAPPLE.
[APPLAUSE] I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND INTRODUCE TO YOU SOME OF THE FAMILIAR FACES THAT WERE RECOGNIZED TODAY.
HUGMAN AWARD TO A PERSON OR BUSINESS WHO HAS LEFT A LEGACY FOR CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OR FOOTPRINT OF THE DESTINATION.
THIS YEAR THE WINNER IS COSMO FRANK GUIDO AND GUIDO CONSTRUCTION.
SO IT'S SUCH A FITTING HONOR AND I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY SAYING, WAIT, HOW DOES A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FIT INTO THE TRAVEL AND TOURISM INDUSTRY? WELL, THEY HELPED CREATE A LOT OF THE WONDERFUL AMENITIES THAT VISITORS AND RESIDENTS GET TO ENJOY, SUCH AS T THE DUE SEAM, THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WITTY AND IMPROVEMENTS OF THE SAN ANTONIO MUSEUM OF ART, JUST TO MENTION A FEW.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME UP THE GUIDO FAMILY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MY COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN COURAGE, ON BEHALF OF GUIDO COMPANIES, MY NAME IS MARIANNE GUIDO AND I AM ACCEPTING THIS AWARD FOR OUR COMPANY AND OUR FAMILY.
WE ARE VERY PROUD FOR THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE FOR THE CITY, FOR OVERNIGHT NINE -- FOR OVER 90 YEARS, FIVE GENERATIONS, AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO WORK ON YOUR NEW CITY HALL PROJECT.
WE ARE VERY HONORED AND SO ON BEHALF OF OUR EMPLOYEES, PAST AND PRESENT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS INCREDIBLE AWARD.
>> OUR CORAZON AWARD IS GIVEN TO SOMEONE WHOSE WORK EXEMPLIFIES WHY SAN ANTONIO REIGNS DEEP IN THE HEART OF VISITORS.
THIS YEAR'S HONOREE IS SOMEONE YOU ALL KNOW VERY WELL, ANDRES, THE CEO OF THE HEMISFAIR PARK REDEVELOPMENT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE HELPED SHAPE HEMISFAIR THAT IT IS TODAY AND WHAT IS TO BECOME IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND I WANT -- THE FIRST OF THREE PARKS AT HEMISFAIR IS RECEIVING OVER 500,000 VISITORS PER YEAR.
86% OF THOSE ARE FROM ONE OF TEN DISTRICTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
YOUR CITIZENS ARE ENJOYING YANAGANA GARDEN NO MATTER WHICH DISTRICT YOU'RE IN.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT ATTENDING TO OUR VISITORS, AND IT'S INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT LOCALS BEING ATTENDED TO HERE, BUT IT IS TIED TO TOURISM THAT WE KNOW THAT THE VISITOR OF THE FUTURE IS INTERESTED IN GOING TO THE PLACES WHERE THE LOCALS ARE HANGING OUT.
THE MORE WE MAKE IT WELCOMING TO US, THEN THE VISITORS WILL ENJOY OUR CITY EVEN MORE.
SO MANY PEOPLE ARE TO BE THANKED, NOT TO SAY THE LEAST THIS COUNCIL.
ROBERTO TREVINO AS OUR DESIGN PARTNER, AND SHIRLEY AS WELL YOUR SON, WHO CALLS YANAGUANA GARDEN PALETA PARK.
SO ALSO THE HEMISFAIR BOARD, HEMISFAIR STAFF, HEMISFAIR CONSERVANCY AND MANAGER SHERYL SCULLEY, HER STAFF, LORI HOUSTON IN PARTICULAR AND CARLOS C CONTRERAS, AND SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS HONOR.
>> OUR CERTIFIED TOURISM AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WHICH IS NOW IN ITS FIFTH YEAR RECOGNIZES AN INDIVIDUAL WHO MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE CROSSED PATHS WITH HER AT HER WORK AT JW MARRIOTT, SAN ANTONIO AIRPORT, THE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU AND MANY OTHER PLACES.
PLEASE WELCOME THIS YEAR'S HONOREE AMY SANCHEZ.
MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL PERSONS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS HONOR THAT'S RECENTLY BEEN BESTOWED UPON ME.
IT'S MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO BE A RECIPIENT OF THIS FIVE-YEAR AWARD PIN FOR THE CERTIFIED TOURISM AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
I STARTED THE PROGRAM AS A CERTIFIED CTA BACK FIVE YEARS AGO AT ITS INCEPTION,
[01:50:02]
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE FOLKS BEHIND VISIT SAN ANTONIO WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY THE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS PROGRAM AND BRINGING IT TO OUR GREAT CITY.I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE AND PASSIONATE ABOUT SAN ANTONIO.
I'M NOT A NATIVE TEXAN BUT I GOT HERE AS QUICK AS I COULD, AND I'VE BEEN HERE 20 YEARS, AND I DON'T THINK I'M GOING ANYWHERE ELSE.
I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE MERITS OF THE CERTIFIED TOURISM AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
WE HAVE OVER 130,000 EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE TOURISM PROGRAM IN SAN ANTONIO, AND IT'S AN INCREDIBLY EASY PROGRAM TO BECOME CERTIFIED ON, AND IT IS A PROGRAM THAT I AM PASSIONATE TOWARDS.
YOU CAN TRAIN SOMEONE TO BE AN AMAZING SALESPERSON.
YOU CAN TRAIN SOMEONE TO REPRESENT THEIR CITY, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT PASSION INSTILLED IN YOU, AND I AM PLEASED TO KNOW THAT MY FELLOW CTAS ARE JUST AS PASSIONATE AS I AM.
SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES IN ARMS, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO REPRESENT THE CTA PROGRAM TODAY AND TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH REPRESENTING IT FOR FUTURE YEARS.
>> CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO OUR AWARD RECIPIENTS, VERY WELL DESERVED, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PROCLAMATION, AND OBVIOUSLY THANK YOU TO SEAWORLD SAN ANTONIO AND THE SAN ANTONIO ZOO FOR BEING SUCH GOOD PARTNERS WITH THE WONDERFUL ANIMALS TODAY, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU ALL DO IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOUR ORGANIZATION AND WHAT THEY DO TODAY AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR MANY YEARS.
YOU KNOW, SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN THE NUMBER ONE TOURIST DESTINATION IN TEXAS FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, PROBABLY SINCE HEMISFAIR.
AND I KNOW IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE JUST THAT KIND OF AN ATTRACTION AND CREDIT TO THE STATE OF TEXAS BECAUSE OF THE GREAT WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
KEEP IT UP, AND I THINK THAT ALL OF US IN SAN ANTONIO REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT TOURISM DOES FOR OUR CITY AND WHAT YOU ALL DO FOR THE INDUSTRY.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS, CASSANDRA, AND VISIT SAN ANTONIO AND THE AWARD RECIPIENTS.
THANK YOU FOR -- TO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE WHO PLAY A PART DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
YOU ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE VISIT -- OUR VISITORS SEE AS SOON AS THEY WALK INTO THE AIRPORT OR DRIVE INTO THE CITY.
WE KNOW THAT ONE IN EIGHT JOBS IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IS IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
SO THIS PLAYS A HUGE PART IN OUR -- IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE DOLLARS AND THE FUNDS THAT THIS DOES, WE SEE THESE NUMBERS THAT YOU PROVIDED US, $125 MILLION TO SAN ANTONIO RIVER IMPROVEMENTS, 80 MILLION FOR AMATEUR SPORTS FACILITIES, 100 MILLION FOR COMMUNITY ARENAS AND GROUNDS, 110 MILLION FOR CULTURAL ARTS AND THE TOBIN CENTER, 10 MILLION FOR ARTS AND CULTURE, AND 10 MILLION FOR HISTORY AND PRESERVATION EFFORTS.
WE'RE SUCH A PROUD CITY, AND WE LOVE TO SELL SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE IT'S OUR HOME.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, AND THANK YOU, TOO, TO SEAWORLD AND TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE VISIT SAN ANTONIO BOARD.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO SERVE AND WORK WITH YOU.
THANK YOU TO THE SAN ANTONIO ZOO, AND THANK YOU TO MORO FOR BRINGING A PANDA SOMETIME SOON TO SAN ANTONIO.
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I WANT TO EXTEND MY CONGRATULATIONS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, THE OLD SAYING IS MY CASA SUE CASA, AND YOU GUYS EXEMPLIFY THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE YOU DO THAT AT HOME AND THAT'S THE TRUE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND WE'RE PROUD THAT WE CARRIAGE THAT MESSAGE THROUGH EVERY DAY, THROUGH EVERYBODY THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THAT EFFORT.
I WANT TO SAY ALSO HOW MUCH I AM SO, SO HAPPY TO WORK WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU ON MOVING THE CITY FORWARD AUTHENTICALLY.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE AWARD WINNERS.
THIS IS GREAT, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WHOLE INDUSTRY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
YOU ALL HAVE DONE FANTASTIC THINGS IN THE PAST, AND I'M LOOKING FOR EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS IN THE FUTURE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING
[01:55:02]
THAT Y'ALL DO FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.>> SALDANA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND LET ME FIRST START OFF BY RECOGNIZING A GUEST THAT HAS BEEN SO OFTEN IN OUR COUNCIL CHAMBERS THAT WE MIGHT MIKE THEM AN OFFICIAL MEMBER, SIENNA THE SLOTH IS MAKING HER REPEAT VISIT.
[LAUGHTER] AND MOVING JUST AS QUICK AS WE ARE SOMETIMES.
[LAUGHTER] LET ME SAY HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE AS WELL, OF COURSE, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, TO AN INDUSTRY THAT REALLY HASN'T SEEN ITS MOUNTAINTOP.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GROWING YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND A LOT OF US ON THIS COUNCIL DAIS AND THE MAYOR INCLUDED HAVE BEEN WATCHING IT GROW, AND WE'RE EXCITED BECAUSE BEYOND EVEN THE CLOUDS OF ITS CURRENT MOUNTAINTOP IT'S GETTING EVEN HIGHER AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FAITH THAT YOU ALL WILL BE PUTTING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO CONTINUING TO GROW IT.
AND SO WE THANK YOU DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE NOT ONLY GATHERING AND MAKING EVERY VISITOR EXPERIENCE A GREAT ONE THROUGH THE OFFICES IN WHICH YOU OCCUPY EVERY DAY, BUT EVEN THE FOLKS WHO ARE CLEANING BEDS IN OUR HOTELS OR SERVING OUR GUESTS IN OUR RESTAURANTS, WE APPRECIATE HOW HARD YOU ALL WORK TO MAKE SURE THOSE FOLKS HAVE A JOB DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
>> WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOU DO.
I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING SOME CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND THEN SOMETIMES JUST AS A TOURIST, AND EVERY TIME I COME BACK HOME I THINK THAT OUR CITY IS THE BEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY, AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING FROM OUR RIVER WALK TO OUR NEW CONVENTION CENTER TO THE PARK AT HEMISFAIR, YANAGUANA, AND OF COURSE THE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS THAT WE ANTICIPATE FROM GUIDO HERE AT THIS FACILITY AND ALL OVER THE CITY.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
THE SAN ANTONIO ZOO I FEEL ESPECIALLY ATTACHED TO.
YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT MY SON AND HIS EXPERIENCE AT THE ZOO SCHOOL, WHICH I THINK IS THE BEST EXPERIENCE THAT ANY CHILD CAN HAVE AT A PRESCHOOL BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT THE SAN ANTONIO ZOO.
SO THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR BEING HERE AND PLEASE CONTINUE TO DO GREAT WORK ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: AND I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH A -- FIRST, HAPPY 30TH ANNIVERSARY SEAWORLD.
SOME OF OUR EARLIEST MEMORIES OF SEAWORLD TEXAS, AND AGAIN JUST A WONDERFUL TRAJECTORY FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
I DO HAVE TO SAY, CASSANDRA, YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
THERE HAS BEEN SOME INNOVATION IN THE INDUSTRY, AND ONE THAT'S BEEN A LONGLASTING SUCCESS STORY FOR SAN ANTONIO.
YOU'VE BEEN THINKING CREATIVELY.
YOU'VE REALLY -- TO COUNCILMAN SALDANA'S POINT HAVE SET OUR EYES ON A ZENITH WE HAVEN'T REACHED YET AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE IN A CITY THAT HAS BAKED ITS BREAD WITH TOURISM FOR SO LONG.
THANK YOU FOR BEING IN THE IPW HERE IN A FEW YEARS, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR INFUSING THE CITY WITH A SENSE OF HOSPITALITY THAT HAS BECOME OUR SECRET FORMULA.
THE CTA PROGRAM IS FABULOUS, BUT I THINK WHAT'S REALLY PHENOMENAL IS IF YOU ASK THE AVERAGE PERSON IN SAN ANTONIO FOR DIRECTIONS HOW TO GET TO A CERTAIN SPOT, THEY KNOW, BECAUSE THEY HAVE PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS THE EXACT FORMULA FOR OUR SUCCESS IN TERMS OF TEACHING HOSPITALITY AS OUR SECRET SAUCE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL AND HAPPY TOURISM.
[02:00:27]
[APPLAUSE]>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE OF THE MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
COMMISSION WILL ANNOUNCE THEIR 2018 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS.
THE AWARDS ARE FUNDED BY LOCAL BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
EACH RECIPIENT WILL BE PRESENTED WITH A SCHOLARSHIP AWARD, CONGRATULATORY CERTIFICATE AND A COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL.
SO I'D LIKE TO CALL FORWARD NOW DR. MIKE ETIENNE FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE EASTPOINT OFFICE, AND ALSO THE EXECUTIVE LIAISON TO THE MLK COMMISSION.
FIRST AS A BRIEF BACKGROUND, THE MLK COMMISSION WAS CREATED BY CITY COUNCIL IN 1986 TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. KING.
THE MISSION OF THE COMMISSION IS TO PROMOTE HUMAN EQUALITY, THE PRINCIPLES OF NONVIOLENCE, AND THE UNACCEPTANCE -- ACCEPTANCE OF RACIAL HARMONY.
THE COMMISSION PERFORMS TWO KEY TASKS.
THE FIRST TASK THAT THE COMMISSION DOES IS ESSENTIALLY ORGANIZING THE -- ORGANIZES THE MARCH.
WE DO ORGANIZE THE LARGEST MARCH IN THE COUNTRY, AND THE SECOND EVENT THAT WE DO IS THAT WE AWARD SCHOLARSHIPS TO GRADUATING SENIORS.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO KEY THINGS THAT THE COMMISSION DOES.
SO WITH ME TODAY IS OUR SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR, DR. MARKITA EVANS.
SHE'S T THE PROVOST FOR OUR LADY OF LAKE AND NATE BIVES.
THEY WILL HELP PRESENT THE AWARDS TODAY.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, MAYOR, THAT THIS YEAR WE ARE AWARDING 22 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR A TOTAL OF $80,000.
[APPLAUSE] AND I WANT TO SAY THAT THREE YEARS AGO WE WERE ISSUING $20,000 OF SCHOLARSHIPS.
SO THIS YEAR WE ARE UP TO 80,000, AND THE BIG THINGS GO -- THANKS GO TO THE COMMISSION AND OF COURSE TO OUR CITY MANAGER, SHERYL SCULLEY, WHO HAS BEEN A VERY STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE COMMISSION.
SO SHERYL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE] SO ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ALL OF THE COMMISSION MEMBERS WHO ARE IN THE CHAMBER TO PLEASE STAND SO THEY CAN BE RECOGNIZED, BECAUSE THEY ALL CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS THE -- CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. KING.
[APPLAUSE] SO, MAYOR, AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR MLK COMMISSION CHAIR, MR. NATE DIVES, TO COME AND SAY A FEW WORDS FOLLOWED BY DR. EVANS WHO WILL PRESENT THE SCHOLARSHIPS.
I KNOW YOU DIDN'T COME HERE TO HEAR ME SPEAK, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY QUICKLY THAT ON BEHALF OF THE MLK COMMISSION, WE'D JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR NOT ONLY -- FOR SPORKT THE MLK -- SUPPORTING THE MLK COMMISSION FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
[APPLAUSE] NOW, I'M GOING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY AND LET THE REAL PEOPLE DO IT, THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THEM TO FILL YOU IN ON ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT'S GETTING READY TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DR. MARKITA EVANS.
>> AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT BEING HERE TONIGHT.
IT'S KIND OF A FULFILLMENT OF A YEAR-LONG ACTIVITY, WHERE WE HAD 399 APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR, ONE OF THE LARGEST THAT WE'VE HAD, AND I'M GOING TO ASK ALL THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO STAND UP.
IF YOU CAN -- IF YOU'RE ON THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE -- I KNOW SOME OF THEM -- A LOT OF THEM ARE NOT HERE, BUT WE REVIEWED ALL OF THESE APPLICATIONS AND WE HAVE THESE WONDERFUL 22-PLUS UTSA SCHOLAR.
[APPLAUSE] I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT $80,000 SEEMS LIKE IT'S A LOT.
WE NEED MORE MONEY TO HELP THE FUTURE OF SAN ANTONIO.
[02:05:01]
ESSAYS THAT THESE STUDENTS WROTE, AND I WILL TELL YOU, EVEN IN THE INTERVIEWS SOME OF US ENDED UP IN TIERS KNOWING THAT OUR -- TEARS KNOWING OUR FUTURE IS IN SUCH GREAT HANDS, THAT WE ARE PROVIDING A LEGACY HERE OF DEALING WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE, RACIAL EQUALITY, DEALING WITH HEALTH DISPARITIES, ALL OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WROTE THESE NARRATIVES AND WE THOUGHT, WHOSE CHILD IS THIS THAT WOULD WRITE THIS SO WELL? AND SO I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE PARENTS OF ALL THE AWARD RECIPIENTS AS WELL.CAN WE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? [APPLAUSE] USED TO BE SO PROUD -- YOU SHOULD BE SO PROUD OF WHAT YOUR STUDENT HAS DONE, BUT YOU HAVE LAID THAT FOUNDATION FOR THEM, SO THANK YOU, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE CITY.
WE HAVE SEVERAL CATEGORIES OF AWARD RECIPIENTS.
WE HAVE SOME THAT HAVE RECEIVED $2,000 AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THEIR AWARDS, AND THAT WILL BE GIVEN IN ONE YEAR.
WE HAVE SOME THAT WILL RECEIVE 4,000, AND THEN OTHERS THAT WILL RECEIVE 8,000, THAT WILL BE A MULTI-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CALL THEM FORWARD NOW, OUR 2,000 -- ANOTHER QUICK NOTE.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE REPRESENTED, BECAUSE YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW THAT AS WELL, WE HAVE NORTH SIDE INDEPENDENT, WE HAVE THREE RECIPIENTS, NORTH EAST, SEVEN, SAN ANTONIO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, SIX, PRIVATE, 3, HARLANDALE, ONE, JUDSON ONE, AND ONE SCHOOL THAT WAS -- STUDENT THAT WAS HOME-SCHOOLED.
SO AS WE CALL YOUR NAME PLEASE COME FORWARD.
WE HAVE THE CERTIFICATES, AND ALSO THE MEDALS, IF YOU CAN HELP WITH THAT.
[APPLAUSE] LOREN DOWNS -- OR DUNNS -- SLOWER? I'M THINKING I'M AT GRADUATION AND WE GOT TO KEEP IT GOING.
[02:10:27]
ARLAIA ALDREDI.[APPLAUSE] -- JULIAN HUDSPETH ANJELICA FLORES.
[APPLAUSE] BAND OUR $8,000 AWARD WINNERS ARE JACQUELINE MEADE.
[02:15:03]
AND KIRA THOMAS.[APPLAUSE] WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIAL AWARD BY UTSA GIVEN BY THE DIRECTOR OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM, CARLA BRADIS.
>> ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO, DR. TAYLOR, AMY, OUR PRESIDENT, DR. MAFY AGUILAR, OUR PROVOST, AND MYSELF, THE DIRECTOR OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES, WE ARE IN TOTAL SUPPORT OF THE MLK SCHOLARSHIP AND WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE A $2,000 SCHOLARSHIP TO MISS GENESIS KOGGEL.
>> LET'S GIVE THEM ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
>> MAYOR, WE DO HAVE A RECEPTION FOR THE GRADUATES IN THE B ROOM, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE AFTER THE CEREMONIES ARE OVER YOU CAN JOIN US, SO IN THE B ROOM RECEPTION FOR THE GRADUATES.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: CONGRATUL ATIONS AGAIN TO ALL THE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS BUT ALSO YOUR PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND MOST CERTAINLY GREAT SUCCESS.
KARATE KIDS OF AMERICA, JUST SAY NO!.
WE'LL PRESENT THE 2018 WINNERS OF THEIR JUST SAY NO! PROGRAM, THE LOCAL CAMPAIGN FOLLOWS THE EXAMPLE OF THE NATIONAL PROGRAM CREATED BY FORMER FIRST LADY NANCY REAGAN.
THE CITYWIDE CONTEST INVITES STUDENTS TO WRITE A LETTER IN WHICH THEY ENCOURAGE THEIR FRIENDS TO JUST SAY NO! TO DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND GANGS.
SO I'D LIKE TO CALL FORWARD ELI GUERRA TO ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION AND I'LL READ IT NOW.
WHEREAS DURING THE MONTH OF MAY 2018 THE SAN ANTONIO KARATE KIDS OF AMERICA WILL CELEBRATE THEIR INDEPENDENCE FROM DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND GANGS AND INVITE OTHER STUDENTS TO JOIN THEM IN PLEDGING TO JUST SAY NO!.
AND WHEREAS FOUNDED BY ELI GUERRA, THE LOCAL JUST SAY NO! CAMPAIGN FOLLOWS THE EXAMPLE OF FORMER FIRST LADY NANCY REAGAN, WHO FOUNDED THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN AND WHEREAS STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR CONCERN FOR DESTRUCTIVE PROBLEMS BY PARTICIPATING IN A WRITING CONTEST IN WHICH THEY WRITE A LETTER TO A FRIEND, ENCOURAGING THE FRIEND TO JUST SAY NO TO ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND GANGS.
AND WHEREAS THIS OBSERVANCE HELPS YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS OF PEER PRESSURE AND REALIZE THAT THEIR POSITIVE EXAMPLE CAN INFLUENCE OTHERS TO LIVE A CHEMICAL-FREE AND NONVIOLENT LIFE.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RON NIRENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 2018 TO BE KARATE KIDS OF SAN ANTONIO JUST SAY NO! MONTH.
[APPLAUSE] MAYOR NIRENBERG, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS CRAZY TO KNOW THAT ONE YEAR AGO WE WERE STANDING TOGETHER HERE, YOU WERE RIGHT NEXT TO ME, AND I SAID, WOW, YOU KNOW, AND HERE YOU ARE AS MAYOR.
CONGRATULATIONS, AND WE'RE HAPPY FOR YOU.
FOR THE PAST 29 YEARS WE'RE THE KARATE KIDS OF AMERICA JUST SAY NO! HAVE BEEN COMING TO YOU STARTING WITH FORMER MAYOR HENRY CISNEROS AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO HONOR AND PRAISE THE CHILDREN FOR THEIR PERSUASIVE EFFORTS IN DISCOURAGING THEIR FRIENDS FROM GANGS, DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT FOR YOU WHO REPRESENTS US ALL, THAT YOU MAKE TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO HONOR THESE CHILDREN, AND WE WANT TO -- WE WANT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND THE COUNTRY TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN THAT THEY ARE OUR FUTURE.
WE WANT TO THANK THE MANY VOLUNTEERS WHO MADE THE KARATE KIDS JUST SAY NO! PROGRAM SUCH A SUCCESS, SUCH AS THE F.B.I., AGENT GREG PRATT, THE DEA, AGENT TEL EARKS MATES AND THE STAFF WHO VOLUNTEERED TO DO ALL THE JUDGING.
WE HAD OVER 4,000 KIDS PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM,
[02:20:02]
MAYOR.[INAUDIBLE] CHALLENGE PROGRAM DID A GREAT JOB.
IBC BANK SPONSORS, SEA ISLAND SPONSORS, GUARDIAN ANGELS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AND LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE.
OF COURSE THE CALIFORNIA SPURS -- THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS AND YOU, MAYOR, WHO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO BE HERE THIS YEAR, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO ADD TO OUR CERTIFICATE THE UNITED STATES SENATOR TED CRUZ, AND AGAIN, MAYOR, WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT YOU PRAISING THESE CHILDREN AND CITY COUNCIL, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONES THAT PRAISE THEM AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES.
WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND APPLAUD THE STRONG EFFORTS OF HARLANDALE I.S.D., ALL THE TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, PRINCIPALS FOR BEING THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO HAVE HAD 100% PARTICIPATION THREE YEARS IN A ROW, AND I WISH MORE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WOULD FOLLOW THROUGH WITH SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE AS TO GET THE CHILDREN TO WRITE LETTERS TO THEIR FRIENDS, HEY, LET'S DISCOURAGE THEM TO SAY NO TO DRUGS.
I'M YOUR BUDDY, I'M YOUR FRIEND, I LOVE YOU, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU, STAY AWAY FROM THOSE PEOPLE.
I LEFT YOU ALL A COUPLE OF LETTERS WITH YOU ALL SO YOU ALL CAN READ THEM.
SOME OF THESE LETTERS ARE REALLY HEARTFELT.
THEY TOUCH YOUR HEART, MAYOR, WHERE THESE CHILDREN ARE DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET THEIR PARENTS, MOTHER, FATHER, SISTER, BROTHER, UNCLES, TO STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS SO THEY CAN LIVE LONGER SO THEY CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE WITH THEM.
THE GREAT EFFORTS WERE REWARDED FOR HOLIDAY -- FIRST PLACE, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, WE KNOW AND BELIEVE THAT WHEN CHILDREN FEEL GREAT ABOUT THEMSELVES, YOU MAKE THEM FEEL GREAT ABOUT THEMSELVES, YOU MAKE THEM FEEL GREAT ABOUT THEMSELVES BY TELLING THEM WHAT A GREAT JOB THEY'RE DOING.
WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE THAT, AS WELL AS WE PRAISE THEM BY ALL OF US, THEY HAVE NO NEED FOR THESE EVIL INFLUENCES WHICH DESTROY THEIR YOUNG LIVES.
I HAVE PUT A FEW OF THE KIDS' LETTERS ON YOUR DESK.
PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME TO FEEL THE CHILDREN'S HEART AND LOVE AS THEY WORK TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THEIR LOVED ONES.
WE'RE ESPECIALLY PROUD TO PRESENT TO YOU, MAYOR, WITH A SWORD, A SAMURAI SWORD, WHICH STRONGLY SYMBOLIZES THAT TOGETHER -- THAT TOGETHER IN UNITY WE SHALL CUT AWAY DRUGS, GANGS AND ALCOHOL FROM OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES.
[APPLAUSE] AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS MOTHER'S DAY, SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS PRESENT YOU WITH ONE DOZEN ROSES FOR YOUR WIFE.
SHE TOLD ME THAT YOU WOULD BE HERE TODAY.
BRING ALL THE KIDS WITH THE FLOWERS OVER HERE.
ANYBODY, THE GIRLS? COME ON, GIRLS.
[02:25:30]
[APPLAUSE] DID YOU GET THE MEDAL OF COMMITMENT?>> NO? MAYOR, THIS IS THE MEDAL OF COMMITMENT [INAUDIBLE] [APPLAUSE]
>> NOW, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, AS ALWAYS IT IS WITH GREAT RESPECT THAT WE HONOR ALL OF OUR TROOPS, ALL OVER THE WORLD, THOSE WHO HAVE FOUGHT AND THOSE WHO ARE NOW FIGHTING FOR OUR COUNTRY WITH THE KARATE FORM TO GOD BLESS AMERICA PERFORMED BY OUR KIDS, AND YOU'VE SEEN IT AND THE CHILDREN WILL BE PERFORMING IT NOW.
>> MAYOR, WE WOULD APPRECIATE TO SAY A FEW WORDS OF PRAISE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND TO YOU AND THE CITY COUNCIL, WHO HAS TAKEN SO MUCH TIME TO -- TO BE HERE FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN.
I DID PUT SOME RED RIBBONS ON YOU ALL AND IF I DIDN'T PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
IT WILL LOOK BETTER THAN PINEAPPLE.
AND THAT REPRESENTS -- THESE ARE FROM LIVING DRUG-FREE
[02:30:02]
FROM ENRIQUE CARMAMILLA, ONE OF THE DEA AGENTS THAT WAS SERVING US, SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE F.B.I., MR. GREG [INAUDIBLE] COME FORWARD TO SAY A FEW WORDS.NO DISRESPECT FOR YOU ALL, BUT I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD FACE THE AUDIENCE, SO I'VE BEEN HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS WITH ELI FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
IT'S A LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN, AS YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO STAY OFF DRUGS, AND A LOT OF THEM YOU CAN TELL JUST DID IT, WENT THROUGH THE MOTIONS TO GET THE GRADE FOR -- MAKE THEIR TEACHER HAPPY, BUT SOME OF THEM, INCLUDING THE WINNERS THAT WERE PICKED, WERE VERY PERSONAL AND HEART-WRENCHING LETTERS WHERE THEY'RE PLEADING TO THEIR LOVED ONES, PLEASE, MOM OR DAD, PLEASE -- OR BROTHER, SISTER, WHATEVER, PLEASE DON'T DO DRUGS, AND YOU CAN TELL THE ADVERSE EFFECT THAT DRUGS HAS HAD ON THESE -- ON THESE FAMILIES.
SO IT'S -- IT'S GREAT THAT YOU GUYS ARE HERE SUPPORTING YOUR CHILDREN.
THEY'RE OUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE, AND NEVER FORGET THAT, YOU KNOW, BEING THERE FOR THEM MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING MR. GUERRA TO BE HERE.
HE'S GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME RIGHT NOW, AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT HIM AND HIS WIFE.
HIS WIFE IS ILL RIGHT NOW, BUT HE'S STILL HERE DOING WHAT HE LOVES TO DO.
SO PLEASE, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO IN SUPPORTING HIM IN ANY WAY, PLEASE CONTINUE.
AND I WANT TO THANK MR. GUERRA BECAUSE HE REALLY PUTS IN A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT, PLUS ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR HIM AND ALL THESE STUDENTS AND CHILDREN, THEY'RE VERY DEVOTED TO WHAT THEY DO.
>> HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU GIVE -- KARATE KIDS OF AMERICA TO RECOGNIZE THE STUDENTS AND THE WONDERFUL WORK THEY DO.
SECONDLY, ALSO, A BIG THANKS TO THE PARENTS, THE GRANDPARENTS, AND THE CAREGIVERS THAT ARE HERE.
WITHOUT THE SUPPORT, WITHOUT THE MORALS, THE VALUES THAT THEY SHOW, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THESE STUDENTS, AND THIS WONDERFUL PROGRAM KARATE KIDS OF AMERICA, INSPIRES THE KIDS, GIVES THEM MOTIVATION, IT GIVES THEM SELF-ESTEEM AND HELPS THEM BECOME BETTER INDIVIDUALS, BETTER STUDENTS, AND FOR DEA AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH ASPECT I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER COMMUNITY OUTREACH THAN THE WONDERFUL MESSAGES AND INSPIRING MESSAGES THAT THEY WRITE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE STUDENTS.
>> WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE OUR SHERIFF HERE AND OUR ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.
OF COURSE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE SHERIFF'S'S OFFICE WE'RE PROUD TO GET BEHIND THIS EFFORTS.
I'VE KNOWN ELI FOR YEARS AND HE'S DONE GREAT WORK WITH THESE KIDS.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ SOME OF THESE LETTERS AND AS SOME OF MY PARTNERS IN CRIME FIGHTING HAVE SHARED, SOME OF THEM ARE FUNNY, SOME OF THEM ARE HEART-WRENCHING TO READ, BUT THEY'RE ALL HEARTFELT, THEY'RE ALL REAL.
AND IT REALLY TELLS US WHAT THESE KIDS ARE GOING THROUGH, AND WERE IT NOT FOR THE EFFORTS OF ELI, WHO KNOWS WHERE SOME OF THESE KIDDOS MIGHT END UP.
BUT HE'S GIVEN THEM CERTAINLY A FIGHTING CHANCE AT LIFE, LITERALLY AND FIGURE RATIVELY.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR JUMPING IN BEHIND THIS EFFORT AND SUPPORTING THEM.
>> YOU KNOW, MR. GUERRA DOES A GREAT JOB WITH THE YOUTH, AND THIS PROGRAM IS PART OF THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IT MAKES THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY TRULY UNIQUE, AND THIS PROGRAM IMPACTS THEIR LIVES IN A VERY DIRECT FASHION, AND SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY AS AN ORGANIZATION, AS A CITY TO SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.
>> GONZALES: AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL COMMENTS, COUNCILMAN TREVINO?
>> TREVINO: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I JUST WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO ALL YOUR HARD WORK, MR. GUERRA.
WHAT A WONDERFUL TRIBUTE YOU HAVE -- YOU HAVE A LEGACY YOU'VE CREATED FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT.
[02:35:01]
HARD WORK AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THESE KIDS.IT IS TRULY BENEFITING ALL OF US FOR GENERATIONS.
I WANT TO ALSO SAY I'M PROUD OF YOU KIDS FOR STICKING WITH IT.
THIS IS -- THESE ARE SOME LESSONS YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES.
THIS IS TRULY A REAL BLESSING TO HAVE MR. GUERRA HELP YOU LIKE THIS.
SO WELCOME TO CITY HALL, AND WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE AND WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.
MR. GUERRA, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL YOU DO AND OUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS ARE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
>> GONZALES: THANK YOU, MR. GUERRA, IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU EVERY YEAR AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO CAME OUT THIS EVENING AS WE GO THROUGH OUR CEREMONIALS THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU SO HIM FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU -- SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. GUERRA.
THANK YOU TO THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS AND ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS THAT ARE PART OF THIS EFFORT.
YOUR PERSISTENT YEAR AFTER YEAR IN GIVING THESE KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED IS BEYOND -- BEYOND GRATEFUL WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. GUERRA.
AS ALWAYS, THE ONLY REWARD THAT I ASK FOR MYSELF IS A BIG HUG FROM MY BLACK BELT MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, BUT IN CLOSING I HUMBLY REQUEST PRAYERS, ASK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS FOR MY WIFE.
AND -- YOU CAN COME DOWN SO WE CAN TAKE A PICTURE OF ALL OF YOU, AND ALL THE KIDS.
[APPLAUSE] COME ON, MS. HARRIS.
[LAUGHTER] YEAH, DON'T BE HIDING OVER THERE.
ANY PARENTS THAT ARE HERE SHOULD BE UP HERE WITH US BECAUSE YOU WORK HARD WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
[APPLAUSE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.