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About the YAC SEPTA Youth Advisory Council | Operating Year 2015 | Annual Report view online at http://septayac.com SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report PAGE 1! No Content on This Page ! Table of Contents About 1 Project & Initiative Work 12 Chair’s Welcome 2 Outreach Program & Travel Resources 13 Membership 3 YAC Rides SEPTA 18 Administrative 5 Smooth & Expand 19 Highlights 6 Student Fare Discount Program 20 Annual Operating Plan 7 YAC Publicity & Project Social 21 Document Reviews 8 Vision for The Future 23 Operating Budget 9 Financial Statements 24 Annual Service Plan 10 Additional Details 25 Capital Budget 11 SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report! Annual Report of the SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 (8/21/2014 – 8/24/2015) Document Prepared by Jeff Kessler, Executive Chair Pursuant to SEPTA Youth Advisory Council By-laws Version 2 § IV.2.e SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report! About the YAC The SEPTA Youth Advisory Council, commonly abbreviated as YAC, is the nation’s premiere transportation advocacy organization focused specifically on the 22-and-under demographic. Based in the Philadelphia area, the YAC was created by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in 2009 following a competitive regional search. Over the course of seven Operating Years, the YAC has greatly expanded its presence and role. It is in this capacity that the YAC focuses on achieving its dual mission of both advocating youth needs to SEPTA Leadership and representing those leaders to the youth community. SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report PAGE 1! About the YAC: Chair’s Welcome Reflecting on the YAC’s accomplishments during the prior Operating Year, it is impossible to be anything but proud of the team’s efforts. This year in particular, however, the YAC made incredible progress. On the heels of the exceptionally- successful 2014 Operating Year, many questioned if the YAC could sustain continued growth and expansion of YAC initiatives. One need not look further than some of the accomplishment highlights to see this was the case. From the time my official tenure as YAC Executive Chair began in August 2013, I have been remarkably proud to lead Jeffrey A. Kessler this organization and watch our members make the Executive Chair extraordinary happen to improve the lives of young people in this region. I look forward to maintaining our growth and continuing our work on long-term initiatives, notably the Student Fare Discount Program, during the 2016 Operating Year. I invite you to explore our efforts over the past Operating Year and get involved in the organization to continue the success. Together, we can make a difference. PAGE 2 SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report ! About the YAC: Membership Membership on the SEPTA Youth Advisory Council is open to individuals ages 14-22 with a passion for improving Public Transportation in the SEPTA Service Area. Applicants must reside, YAC Membership by Location & work, or attend school within Philadelphia, Primary Function Bucks, Chester, Delaware, or Montgomery Employed 11% Counties. Suburban High School 6% Applications are reviewed regularly and are Phila. High Philadelphia always accepted on the YAC’s website at School College 11% 44% http://septayac.com/join/. Prior to being accepted, prospective members are required to Suburban College attend a meeting in addition to undergoing a 28% rigorous and comprehensive interview. The YAC is committed to maintaining a diverse board in many different respects: demographic, socioeconomic, geographic, and place of education. SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report PAGE 3! About the YAC: Membership Executive Council Members: Jeff Kessler | Executive Chair (Univ. of Pennsylvania) Will Herzog | Executive Vice-Chair (Great Valley High School) Anna Stepchin | Operation & Service Evaluation (Temple University) Alaric Qin | Director of Technology & Communication (Univ. of Pennsylvania) David Zamarin | Director of Outreach & Education (Masterman High School) Angela Kang | Secretary (Univ. of the Sciences) Jacqueline Slaby (Bryn Mawr College) Rae Hamilton (Bryn Mawr College) Shannon Stussy (Bryn Mawr College) Hayley Burke (Bryn Mawr College) Jill Perry (Bryn Mawr College) Daniel Pulyk (Drexel University) Drequan Taylor (Community College of Phila.) Dana Case (Drexel University) Max Shein (Employed) Jonathan Tieu (Univ. of Pennsylvania) Gary Thomas (Employed) Haven Thompson (West Catholic Preparatory) PAGE 4 SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report ! About the YAC: Administrative Improving Logistics & Operations The YAC undertook significant restructuring in 2014 to ensure a more fluid organization while maintaining centralized leadership of various specialties. As such, members were free to work on any initiative they saw fit, provided they discussed such initiative work with the director responsible for overseeing the specific competency. In addition to organizational improvements, the YAC also significantly revised our application process to ensure we can recruit a diverse array of talent across a variety of sectors. Improvements to applicant reviews, including a new interview process, makes for much better application decisions. A Bittersweet Farewell As a youth-based organization, members are only able to retain their YAC positions through the Operating Year in which they turn 23 years of age. This was the case for two YAC members, Anna Stepchin and Gary Thomas, both of whom served on the YAC for five years. Each devoted much time and effort to the YAC. Anna, having previously served as Secretary, a Director, and as Vice-Chair, spent her time overseeing a diverse array of initiatives across the entirety of the YAC. Gary was a very focused member of the YAC, regularly speaking with students at outreach events and sharing his SEPTA experiences with fellow members. Although we will miss both, we are incredibly proud of their contributions and look forward to following their bright future! SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report PAGE 5! Highlights of Accomplishments Conducted Developed!New! Received!$1000!Grant!to! Comprehensive SEPTA! Outreach!Materials!&! Fund!New!Outreach! Budget/Planning! Customized!School! Technologies Document!Reviews Resources Rode!Every!Mile!of! Organized!and!Attended! Submitted!82!MicroO SEPTA’s!Rail!and!Rapid! 44!Outreach!Events Reports Transit!System Offered!Detailed! Designed!and! Featured!in!Metro! Commentary!on!5! Distributed!YAC!Student! Magazine,!Transit! Pressing!Agency! Fare!Program!Survey Industry!Publication Concerns PAGE 6 SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report ! 2015 Annual Operating Plan The Annual Operating Plan serves as the YAC's guiding framework Revised! each operating year. For OpYr2015, Outreach! the YAC set forth to work on six Program key projects to advance the YAC's Better!Youth! YAC!Rides! mission and goals. Over the course Travel! SEPTA of the past year, we are pleased to Resources have seen this evolve into seven unique initiatives through which Smooth!&! astounding progress has been YAC Publicity Expand made. Student! More details as to initiative work Discounts are outlined in the remainder of this report. SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report PAGE 7! Document Reviews Pursuant to its mission, the YAC undertook thorough reviews of SEPTA's FY2016 proposed core operating documents: their Capital Budget and Capital Program, their Operating Budget, and their Annual Service Plan. Reports were made publicly available on the YAC Website and were submitted to both SEPTA's Customer Service & Advocacy department as well as the respective department overseeing the document's creation. Further, recommendations were presented publicly at the Public Hearings and Open Houses of all three documents. Highlights of findings are detailed on subsequent pages. PAGE 8 SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report ! Document Reviews: Operating Budget •! Supported SEPTA's Total Funding of Weekend Late-Night Subway Operation •! Rejected Lack of Funding for Police Text Message Program •! Rejected Pass Limits in Current Fare Tariff Policies •! Provided Service Improvement Guidelines for Upcoming Amtrak Capital Lease Negotiation Photo!from!http://planphilly.com/uploads/media_items/septaOsOpublicOhearingsOonOtheO proposedOfareOincreasesOdrewOpackedOmeetingOroomsOthisOmonth.752.409.s.jpg! SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Operating Year 2015 Annual Report PAGE 9! Document Reviews: Annual Service Plan •! Supported Route 23 Modifications with Free Transfer Publicity, Trolley Track Maintenance, Scheduled Transfer Timing, and an Alternative Route Designation to Route 45 •! Supported Extension of Route 31 into Queen Village •! Supported Route 53 Extension and Proposed Extending Further Eastward to Market-Frankford Line •! Supported Route 119 Route Alternative and Proposed Primary Routing [Accepted by SEPTA] •! Cautioned Against Route 128 Re-Routing due to Bensalem High School Service Elimination •! Cautioned SEPTA to Revise Wording of Service Standard Amendment to Ensure the Trenton Transit Center was “Served” •! Advocated “Adopt-A-Station” Program for County Line NHSL Station to Combat Closure without Substantial Infrastructure Costs •! Proposed Alternative “Snow Routes” Program to Combat Need for Route 55 Re-Routing •! Fully Supported All Other Modifications