Agenda Item Wording:
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Award Contract for Microtransit Software and Vehicles - Authorize the City Manager to award a contract to Via in the amount of $117,600 for microtransit software, award a contract to Model 1 in the amount of $802,417.20 for seven (7) ADA accessible vans, and appropriate funds in the amount of $2,927,160 for the microtransit project.
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Deadline for Action: 9/16/2024
Submitting Department: Administration - Transit Division
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Angelina DeRossett, Transit Manager, Angelina.DeRossett@Visalia.City (559) 713-4591
John Lollis, Assistant City Manager, John.Lollis@Visalia.City, (559) 713-4323
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to award a contract to Via in the amount of $117,600 for microtransit software, award a contract to Model 1 (formerly Creative Bus Sales) in the amount of $802,417.20 for seven (7) ADA accessible vans, and appropriate funds in the amount of $2,927,160 for the microtransit project.
Background Discussion:
Over the past several years, similar to transit agencies nationwide, Visalia Transit ridership numbers have been slow to return to pre-pandemic levels. In 2022, staff began brainstorming different ideas to make adjustments to combat the low ridership levels on large buses assigned to fix routes. At the time, Visalia Transit staff began discussing a three-year microtransit pilot project with the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) and the Tulare County Regional Transit Agency (TCRTA), who at the time was the local Transit Agency for the County of Tulare and the other seven (7) incorporated Cities
The plan behind the pilot project is to offer smaller vehicles in more flexible service areas in an effort to reduce the costs of the large 35' buses. In April 2023, staff approached Council with the plan to participate in a three-year microtransit pilot, at which point Council gave its authorization. The data collected from ...
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