Three highlights from today’s Metro Board meeting

•The Metro Board could not agree on a contract with either CBS Outdoor or Titan for a contract that would pay Metro in exchange for the right to sell ads on the agency’s buses, trains and other properties. Metro staff recommended a $110-million contract with CBS Outdoor as opposed to a $117-million contract with Titan Outdoor. Staff had concerns about Titan renegotiating contracts with other transit agencies and the projections and prices of their ad sales.

Three motions failed. The Directors could not agree to support the staff recommendation to award the contract to CBS Outdoor, the Directors could not agree to award the contract to Titan and the Directors could not agree to extend the current contract with CBS Outdoor for six months while negotiating a new deal. As a result, the item is technically dead but practically speaking, it’s very likely to be brought before the Board of Directors again in October.

•The Board approved sending a letter of interest to the U.S. Department of Transportation about TIFIA loans that Metro may apply for if Measure J is approved by voters. The loans would be used to accelerate transit projects.

•The Board approved a contract modification with NextBus — adding $629,000 to it — to provide real-time rail arrival data similar to the popular NextBus service.

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