[Colorado-Talk] Access-on-Demand: Staff Recommendations

[Curtis Chong]

Greetings:

 

While Access-on-Demand was not actually discussed during the May 14 meeting
of RTD's Operations, Safety, and Security Committee, there was a PowerPoint
document incorporated into the online agenda which I was able to extract and
have analyzed by perplexity.ai./ The analysis document was somewhat
convoluted in its format, but I was able to extract the following useful
information for those of you interested in knowing what RTD staff is
currently considering for Access-on-Demand.

 

<Begin Excerpt>

 

 

Current Access-on-Demand Program

*	Subsidized curb-to-curb taxi and ride-share service for certified
paratransit customers.
*	RTD pays the first $25 of each trip; the customer pays any amount
above that.
*	Customers may take up to 60 trips per month.
*	Available within the entire RTD service area, 24/7.
*	No customer fare (i.e., $0 base fare).
*	Annual operating cost: $15.3 million; 685,402 customer trips in
2024.

 

Initial Recommendations (November 2024)

 

Customer Fare
Current Program: $0 (base), $0 (LiVE)
Initial Recommendation: $4.50 (base), $2.25 (LiVE)

Trip Cap
Current Program: 60 per month
Initial Recommendation: 40 per month

Subsidy per Trip
Current Program: $25
Initial Recommendation: $20

Service Area
Current Program: Entire District
Initial Recommendation: Mirrors ADA service area

Service Hours
Current Program: 24/7
Initial Recommendation: Mirrors current service hours

 

Estimated annual cost reduction: $5.86 million (38.2% decrease)

 

 

Revised Recommendations

 

Scenario 1: Increased Trip Cap Approach

 

.            Trip Cap: 50 trips per month (higher than initial
recommendation but lower than current).

.            Fare: $6.50 per trip (base), $3.25 per trip (LiVE discount).

.            Subsidy: $20 per trip.

.            Service Area/Hours: Mirrors current ADA service area and hours.

.            Estimated annual cost reduction: $6.17 million (40.2%
decrease)1.

 

Financial Impacts:

*	Increased fare generates more revenue.
*	Trip cap reduction and subsidy decrease save costs.
*	Projected yearly spend: $9.16 million (down from $15.33 million).

 

Scenario 2: Tiered Approach

 

*	Trip Cap: Up to 60 trips per month.
*	Tiered Fare Structure:

*	Trips 1-30: $4.50 (base), $2.25 (LiVE)
*	Trips 31-50: $5.50 (base), $2.75 (LiVE)
*	Trips 51-60: $6.50 (base), $3.25 (LiVE)

*	Subsidy: $20 per trip.
*	Service Area/Hours: Mirrors current ADA service area and hours.
*	Estimated annual cost reduction: $5.04 million (32.9% decrease)1.

 

Operational Considerations:

*	Requires significant staff oversight and additional headcount (4
FTEs).
*	Customers must track their trips to know their fare each time,
potentially causing confusion.
*	Projected yearly spend: $10.29 million.

 

Summary of Options

 

*	Scenario 1 (Increased Trip Cap): Reduces trip cap to 50/month and
increases fare, maximizing cost savings and revenue while maintaining a
relatively high trip allowance.
*	Scenario 2 (Tiered): Maintains the current 60-trip cap but
introduces a tiered fare structure, increasing the fare as usage rises. This
option preserves flexibility for high-frequency users but adds
administrative complexity and potential customer confusion.

 

<End Excerpt>

 

Cordially,

 

Curtis Chong

 

 

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