Title
Amendment with Valley Metro/Regional Public Transportation Authority for the Purchase of Fixed Route Bus Transit Service for Fiscal Year 2026-27 (Ordinance S-52918) - Citywide
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute an amendment to Agreement #143071 with Valley Metro/Regional Public Transportation Authority (RPTA) for the purchase of bus transit services operated by RPTA within Phoenix for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27. Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. Total expenditures for these services for FY 2026-27 will not exceed $14,489,270.
Report
Summary
Transit services are customarily purchased and sold between regional transit agencies as an economical option that allows cities to provide efficient transit service that crosses jurisdictions with no impact to passengers. This request is for service that Phoenix will purchase from RPTA. The City also sells service to RPTA on multiple routes.
Each year, the City determines the level of service to be operated within its boundaries and executes an amendment to its Service Agreement with RPTA to authorize funding for that year. At the end of each fiscal year, the Public Transit Department and RPTA assess the actual miles operated, gross costs incurred, and applicable revenue to reconcile the difference between the original estimates and actual costs.
In FY 2026-27, service purchased from RPTA will include, but is not limited to, the following bus service within Phoenix: Routes 30 (University Drive); 45 (Broadway Road); 56 (Priest Drive); 61 (Southern Avenue); 77 (Baseline Road); 108 (Elliot Road/48th Street); 140 (Ray Road); and 156 (Chandler Boulevard).
In addition to the portions of routes that Phoenix will fund directly with local funds, the agreement also includes RPTA-operated fixed routes and regional paratransit service in Phoenix that will be funded with the Regional Public Transit Fund (PTF) under Proposition 479. Bus routes that are regionally funded and operate partially within Phoenix are routes 48, 72, 514, 521, 531, 535, 542, 562, 563, 571, 573, 575, and GAL.
Financial Impact
The total estimated cost for service purchased from RPTA in FY 2026-27 will not exceed $14,489,270.
Funding is available in the Public Transit Department’s operating budget.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The City Council approved the RPTA Service Agreement 143071 (Ordinance S-42474) on April 20, 2016.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Amber Williamson and the Public Transit Department.