Transit boards--composition, roles, and procedures

This Synthesis presents current practices relating to the composition and role of transit boards and suggests features of organization and interrelationships that may affect the activities of the board. These features include the intergovernmental relationships of the transit authorities (as special-purpose governments) with the general-purpose governments in the area, and the intergovernmental relationships of the board (as a citizen-oriented body) with the technical management personnel of the transit authority. Transit board members are usually appointed from the public by elected officials. The transit agencies also usually have a manager and/or executive director. The roles of both the board and the manager must be well defined to avoid conflicts. Agencies have suggested that the board should not be involved in daily problems of operating the system. It should also be taken into consideration that policies and planning are influenced by those with daily contact with the riding public, and that the complexity of bus operation and maintenance and the dependence on federal and state grants demand considerable technical knowledge of system operations. Many agencies use some form of contract management for operation of bus or paratransit systems. Ths relieves the agency of labor negotiations. The study also showed that (a) there is a need for reliable funding sources, (b) there are both advantages and disadvantages to each type of organizational structure, and (c) there are various methods for selecting board members.