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

[Dishon Spears]

Thank you, Curtis for sharing this. This makes it a lot easier to understand.

Shon
Dishon Spears
 


> On May 21, 2025, at 3:54 PM, Curtis Chong via Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 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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