 |
ITEM 4 |
|
City Council Memorandum Government Relations & Transportation Policy Memo No. N/A
|
| Date: |
May 6, 2024 |
| To: |
Mayor and Council |
| Thru: |
Joshua H. Wright, City Manager
Ryan Peters, Strategic Initiatives Director |
| From: |
Ryan Peters, Government Relations and Policy Manager |
| Subject: |
Agreement No. CM2-556-4450, Amendment No. 1, for Micro Transit Services, with River North Transit, LLC |
|
|
|
| Proposed Motion: |
| Move City Council approve Agreement No. CM2-556-4450, Amendment No. 1, with River North Transit, LLC, for micro transit services, in an amount not to exceed $1,292,000, for a one-year period, July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. |
| Background/Discussion: |
Chandler Flex is a microtransit service in central and southwest Chandler that began in July 2022. Passengers use the Chandler Flex app or call in to request rides on Chandler Flex vans within the service area from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Chandler Flex service area is generally bound by Chandler Boulevard to the north, Chandler Heights Road to the south, Price Road to the west, and Arizona Avenue to the east. Additionally, there are some extensions to serve activity centers, such as Chandler Fashion Center, Chandler High School, downtown Chandler and surrounding neighborhoods, and Tumbleweed Park. Rides may be shared with other passengers, and a short walk to/ from pickup and dropoff points may be required. The current fare is $2 per ride or $1 for seniors or people with disabilities.
Students taking trips to and from school get free trips, as required by the city’s A for Arizona Transportation Modernization grant. This grant focused on leveraging technology to provide students with improved transportation options. About one third of all trips currently provided by Chandler Flex are school trips.
In the first year and a half of service, more than 60,000 rides have been provided by Chandler Flex. Hamilton High School, Chandler High School, Intel, Walgreens, Chandler Regional Medical Center, Wal Mart, and Chandler Fashion Center are popular destinations. The service has received high ratings from its passengers (4.9 out of 5.0 stars), and residents have made many requests to the city to expand the service to other parts of Chandler. Pursuant to City Council direction, staff are additionally seeking opportunities to expand the Flex service area to other parts of the community.
This agreement will renew Chandler Flex service with its current operator, River North Transit (aka Via), for a period of one year. |
| Evaluation: |
On April 14, 2022, City Council approved an agreement with River North Transit (Via) for micro transit services, for a two-year period, with the option of up to three (3) additional one-year extensions. The contractor has agreed to extend for one additional year at the same terms, conditions, and pricing. Staff have been satisfied with Via's customer service and operations and recommend extension of this agreement for the term of July 1,2024, through June 30, 2025. This is the first extension of the original agreement.
|
| Financial Implications: |
| The $2,000,000 A for Arizona Transportation Modernization Grant funded the first two years of Chandler Flex service. Grant funds will expire at the end of May 2024. Beginning in June 2024, the city will need to fund Chandler Flex with a combination of general fund and Arizona Lottery Funds. However, no new funds will need to be budgeted over the next year as staff has leveraged regional transit funding to result in savings to locally-funded transit service, which can now be used to fund the continuation of Chandler Flex service. The city is also pursuing a $1,000,000 congressionally-directed spending grant to fund 50% of the cost of Chandler Flex service for up to two years. |
|
| Fiscal Impact |
|
|
|
|
|
