Title
Intergovernmental Agreement with Valley Metro to transition City’s Alternative Transportation Program
Description
Request the Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee to recommend City Council approval to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Valley Metro to transition the City’s Alternative Transportation Programs to Valley Metro’s RideChoice Program.
THIS ITEM IS FOR CONSENT
Report
Summary
In addition to fixed-route (bus and light rail) and paratransit services (Dial-a-Ride), the City of Phoenix’s Public Transit Department (PTD) provides Alternative Transportation Programs (ATP) for Phoenix senior citizens and residents with disabilities through its multiple subsidy programs. ATP allows flexibility for seniors and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-certified individuals to plan taxi-based trips based on their individual needs. ATP services include:
- ADA Cab: Allows ADA-certified individuals to schedule trips at their convenience and to locations of their choice.
- Senior Cab: Provides individuals 65 and older flexible transportation at their convenience and to locations of their choice.
- Jobs and Employment Transportation: Supports travel to and from jobs or employment training programs for residents with disabilities.
- Repetitive Medical Trips: Supports travel to and from repetitive medical appointments, such as dialysis treatment.
Summary
Last year, PTD issued a Request for Proposals for ATP and received no bids. As a result, PTD negotiated with the incumbent contractor, MV Transportation, and received City Council authority to extend services through June 30, 2024. During the one-year extension, PTD has been working to seamlessly transition Phoenix users of ATP to Valley Metro’s similar RideChoice Program.
Effective July 1, 2024, RideChoice will serve eligible participants’ transportation needs, making it easy to access a larger network of rideshare transportation providers, including Uber, Lyft, local taxicabs, and other wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Like ATP, RideChoice will offer continued flexibility to eligible Phoenix residents to plan trips based on their unique schedules.
RideChoice provides alternative travel options for ADA-certified individuals and seniors (age 65 and above). Program features include on-demand travel, no requirements to book ahead, and no need for shared rides. Currently, RideChoice costs $3 for each one-way trip up to eight miles, with additional miles costing $2 each. Wheelchair-accessible services are also available, at no additional charge. Currently, the ATP has approximately 600 active users.
Phoenix Dial-a-Ride service is not affected by this transition.
Contract Term
The IGA term will be effective from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2034, with one option to extend the agreement’s term an additional 10 years, if an extension is in the City’s best interests.
Financial Impact
Based on ATP’s FY22-23 trip counts and current costs of the RideChoice program, staff estimates first year program costs at $956,000. Although costs to operate the service will adjust annually based on the number of trips used by program participants, staff estimates a not-to-exceed price of $12 million for the first 10 years of the program. As with the current ATP program, the new service will be funded with federal grant funds and T2050 funds.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Public Transit Department.