Background/Discussion
The City’s Special Transit Service is a complementary paratransit service to the fixed route bus service mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).
The Southwest Iowa Planning Council/Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWIPCO/SWITA) provides public transit services throughout Southwest Iowa, and focuses on public transit. SWIPCO/SWITA is a state designated regional transit agency and fully understands the City’s requirements for service. They have provided paratransit services for the City since June 1, 2017.
The 28E Agreement with SWIPCO/SWITA continues the opportunity to work in cooperation with the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) and the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Office of Public Transit (Iowa DOT). Using a 28E Agreement is acceptable as both entities are recognized as state designated transit agencies. This is an acceptable practice under Federal Transit Administration (“FTA”) regulations.
This agreement is for a one-year period beginning July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, with one option to extend for an additional year in 2025. The annual fee for paratransit service with this new agreement is $385,000. In an attempt to reduce costs and extend the life of the STS vehicles, the City will now provide the fuel and maintenance of the vehicles. There will be an additional cost of $150 per vehicle per day for SWITA to provide vehicle coverage when STS vehicles are unavailable.
The previous agreement with SWIPCO/SWITA was a one year agreement with an annual fee amount of $450,000.
Paratransit riders pay $2.50 per one-way trip. The current average operating cost per passenger is $30.16 per one-way trip.
Over the next year, it is recommended that a study and review of service be conducted to identify any possible options to limit the increased costs associated with paratransit services.