1503 N. IMPERIAL AVE., SUITE 104

EL CENTRO, CA  92243-2875

PHONE: (760) 592-4494

FAX: (760) 592-4410

SOCIAL SERVICES TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COUNCIL

            MINUTES       September 03, 2025

Present:             Voting Attendees:  

                        Raul Cordova                           IC Work Training Center

                        Sarah Enz                                 Public Administrator

                        Mike Hack                               Senior Consumer

                        Camilo Garcia                          Workforce & Economic Development

                        Gustavo Gomez                        ICTC

Non-Voting Attendees:

Jose Guillen                              IVT MedTrans/IVT Ride

Helio Sanchez                          IVT Transit

Cesar Sanchez                          IVT Transit

Karla Pacheo                            IVT ACCESS

Aracely Torres                          Special Project Equity Imperial County (ZOOM)

Luis Castro                                Imperial County Department of Social Services

Priscilla Baca                           ICTC

1.       Mr. Hack called the meeting to order at 10:02 a.m.                            A quorum was not present.

2.        Introductions were made.

-          Hybrid meeting.

3.       Minutes were adopted for May 07, 2025.                                           Motion not carried.

4.       CTSA Reports:

Ms. Baca had the following information:

·         Brief overview of the Social Service Transportation Advisory Council's purpose and duties, SSTAC's charge under California Public Utility Code 99238 to identify transit needs, review, and recommend actions through the unmet transit needs hearing process

·         SSTAC membership requirements include the appointment of representatives for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and social service providers.

·         Outlined the annual calendar of SSTAC activities, including the unmet transit needs survey conducted in April.

Mr. Gomez presented the following information:

·  IVT Ride Now is an expansion of IVT Ride, featuring a new on-demand component similar to Uber. The service costs $2 for the general public and $1 for seniors.

·  The service provides both app-based and traditional phone reservation options. Additional outreach and promotion are needed to increase public awareness.

·  Calexico ITC is under construction and expected to be completed by March 2026. Bus Stop Improvement project, which will include several stops in El Centro, Calipatria, and Westmorland.

·          Contactless payment options and real-time bus tracking updates will be available soon.

·         The East Port of Entry Terminal project is currently in its initial stages of development

·          ICTC maintenance and operation Facility project is in the early planning stages.

Ms. Baca presented the following information:

·         Distributed IVT Ride Now flyers to county offices and public locations.

·         Outreach to all senior apartments in Calexico, El Centro, and Brawley. Will continue with outreach for all services, specifically, IVT Ride Now

5.       Transit Operator Reports:

           Imperial Valley Transit:

           Mr. Sanchez had the following report:

·         Service is operating normally. We now have a dedicated bus shelter maintenance person and have power-washed all bus shelters. Regular maintenance will continue for high-traffic bus stops

 IVT Access:

Ms. Pacheco had the following report:

·         IVT Access usage tends to slow down during the summer months, but activity is increasing now that school is back in session.

IVT Ride:

Mr. Guillen had the following report on all IVT Ride services:      

·         The SDSU Brawley campus is included in the IVT Ride Now service area.

·         Service disruption during a recent storm that affected travel to Coachella

              IVT MedTrans:

Mr. Guillen had the following report:

·         IVT Med Trans Transportation provides services to VA facilities and San Diego State University.

6.       General Discussion

- SSTAC members asked if ICTC can email the PDF IVT RIDE Now flyer.

       -Consider nominations for SSTAC officer positions. There is currently a vacancy for the chairperson role, which will need to be addressed at the October meeting.

       -Forward information about upcoming community events to ICTC staff for COA outreach opportunities.

7.       Adjournment

-          The meeting adjourned at 10:54 a.m.

-          The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at the Imperial County Transportation Commission Office, 1503 N. Imperial Ave., Suite 104, El Centro, CA 92243.