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Adoption of the Title VI Program - Deputy Director Jessica Riske-Gomez
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Requested Action(s)
recommendation
a) Adopt Resolution No. 08 - 2026 Adoption of the Title VI Program Plan
b) Authorize staff to process and execute all documents related to the Title VI Program.
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Financial Impact:
No impact to the adopted budget.
Background Information:
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 establishes a condition for programs receiving federal financial assistance: people may not be excluded from participation, denied benefits, or subjected to discrimination because of race, color, or national origin. Section 601 states that protection; Section 602 directs federal funding agencies to implement it through regulations. For a covered recipient, the protection extends across its operations, rather than only to a particular service or expense paid for with federal funds.
TCTC receives federal transit assistance and provides public transportation. Title VI therefore matters in the ordinary decisions, opportunities for the public to participate when decisions are being considered, and the ability to raise a discrimination complaint and have them addressed. The Program is TCTC’s written framework for carrying out those responsibilities.
Federal Transit Administration Circular 4702.1B requires recipients and subrecipients to maintain a Title VI Program, update it on a three-year cycle, and obtain approval from their governing body before submission. The adopting resolution gives Caltrans a record that TCTC reviewed and approved the Program. Staff is bringing the 2026 update to the Commission for that purpose before the September submission deadline. These submission and Board approval requirements come from FTA’s guidance; the underlying nondiscrimination duty comes from the Act.
The proposed Program explains how TCTC gives the public notice of its Title VI protections and how a person may file a complaint. It includes complaint forms and procedures, a record of transit-related Title VI complaints, investigations and lawsuits, and responsibilities for reviewing complaints and maintaining records. These provisions give riders a way to understand their rights and provide staff with a process for responding when a concern is raised.
The Program also describes how TCTC involves the public in transportation planning and decisions, including outreach to people who may face barriers to participation. Its Language Assistance Plan assesses the languages spoken by people in the service area and identifies how riders with limited English proficiency can obtain meaningful access to transit information and services.
The draft identifies Spanish as the principal language requiring written translation and describes English and Spanish public materials, access to interpretation, and ways to track requests for assistance. The demographic figures supporting that analysis must be reconciled in the final Program.
Finally, the Program includes service standards and policies. These provide a documented basis for reviewing how service is delivered. After adoption, staff must carry out the Program in daily operations: keep notices and information available, provide language assistance when needed, document outreach and requests, process and track complaints, and review the Program as service and community needs change. Commisison adoption is the start of that continuing work.