Triennial Performance Audits
Triennial Performance Audits (TPAs) are essential for maintaining accountability and transparency in public transit. Conducted every three years, they evaluate efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance with state requirements, ensuring agencies use public funds responsibly and improve service delivery. These audits ultimately strengthen community trust and guide agencies toward more reliable and equitable transportation.
Placer County TPAs (2010, 2013, 2019, 2022, 2025)
For multiple audit periods, LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. has been retained by Placer County Transportation Planning Agency (PCTPA) to conduct triennial performance audits of PCTPA and the four transit operators within its jurisdiction: Placer County Transit, Roseville Transit, Auburn Transit and the Western Placer Consolidated Transportation Services Agency. For each audit period, the consultant team conducted on-site visits and worked closely with PCTPA and transit operator staff to put together concise and useful audit recommendations.
Examples of recommendations for the RTPA include revisions to farebox ratio standards to match the changing urban area boundary and new state requirements. Audit recommendations for the transit operators ranged from staffing suggestions, marketing recommendations and updating performance indicators. One particularly challenging issue for Roseville Transit was to calculate Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees in accordance with TDA definitions. LSC has worked closely with the operator to more clearly outline the FTE definition for contractor and city staff going forward.
Nevada County Transportation Commission TPA (2012, 2022, 2025
LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. has been retained by the Nevada County Transportation Commission (NCTC) to conduct triennial performance audits of the Commission and the transit operators in both the western and eastern portion of the county: Nevada County Connect (general public service), Nevada County Now (paratransit service), and the Truckee TART program for multiple audit periods.
As part of the most recent audits, it was determined that NCTC effectively and efficiently fulfilled its roles and responsibilities assigned to it through the TDA during the audit period. The audit reports discussed strategies to both meet TDA requirements as well as improve entity functions. Examples included recommendations to increase SSTAC effectiveness by reducing the number of meetings, improve reporting for transit operators and software recommendations.
Tuolumne County TPA (2016, 2020, 2023, 2025 In Progress )
LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. has been retained by the Tuolumne County Transportation Council (TCTC) acting as the Regional Transportation Planning Agency to conduct audits of the TCTC and Tuolumne County Transit Agency (TCTA) for the past three cycles.
Recommendations for TCTC included: 1) Contract with a private firm for certain fiscal matters, 2) Adopt rules regarding the submission of claims for bicycle and pedestrian facility projects. Overall, the TCTA audit found that the transit operator is effective and efficient, in fact ridership increased during a time when many other rural transit agencies have seen declines. The audit recommended the agency improve record retention practices so that required TDA documents are readily available for the next auditor as well as consider fare structure changes to address the low farebox ratio.
In conjunction with the 2023 TPA, LSC updated the Strategic Plan for both TCTC and TCTA. This involved an in-person workshop with board members to discuss strengths and weaknesses of the organizations and brainstorm strategies to address transportation issues in the region. LSC is currently working to update their TPA and Strategic Plan in 2025