[Colorado-Talk] Denver Area: Urgent: Access on Demand Virtual Committee Meeting This Wednesday

Wed Sep 10 18:33:09 UTC 2025

> Tim or anyone,

Do you remember or know if it has been mentioned how many vouchers that on average a patron uses each month? There are a few patrons who have mentioned on social media that they share their vouchers with family & friends who are sighted & do not qualify for the AOD program. How do they share? They give the family member or friend their Uber login information. This is most likely part of the increase in the cost of the AOD program.

Tim Keenan via Colorado-Talk <colorado-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi, all,
>  
> I marked this as urgent because rather than meeting next Wednesday as usual, the Operations, Safety and Security Committee will be meeting this Wednesday to make a new recommendation to the RTD Board regarding Access on Demand. So, we need to be there to make public comment, again. I know it’s nerve wracking having to do this again and again, but the Board indicated at the July meeting that at their September meeting, they want to have a recommendation from the OSSC that they can just approve without all the amendments they added at their July meeting. So, if we want to influence their thinking, this Wednesday’s meeting will be critical to make absolutely certain they know where we’re coming from and what we view as acceptable and unacceptable.
>  
> If any of the following is incorrect, by all means, reply to this message with the correct info.
>  
>  
> Meeting Details:
> When: Wednesday, 5:30 PM
> Format: Zoom meeting
> Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uoXuiU3CS16FUViqwrmqzQ#/registration
> Action needed: Raise your hand and make public comment
> What's Changed Since July
> At the July Board meeting, directors modified staff's harsh recommendation ($6.50 fare, Access-a-Ride area and hourly restrictions) to a more reasonable $2.50 fare with no area/time restrictions. Instead of voting, they sent it back for new cost analysis.
> 
> The bombshell: Staff recently send the Board a memo which reveals they've been hiding wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) costs all along - adding $12-16 million annually to every scenario. This explains the dramatic cost increases and raises serious questions about their previous analyses. I’ll attach the full memo to this message.
> 
> The Six Scenarios (2026 Costs)
> Scenario 1: $25.4M - $4.50 fare, 40 trips, Access-a-Ride boundary only, restricted hours
> Scenario 2 (Staff wants this): $22.9M - $6.50 fare, 60 trips, Access-a-Ride boundary only, restricted hours
> Scenario 3: $29.6M - $4.50 fare, 60 trips, ADA + regional routes, restricted hours
> Scenario 4: $31.1M - $4.50 fare, 60 trips, full area, 24/7 service
> Scenario 5: $34.2M - $2.50 fare, 60 trips, Access-a-Ride + regional routes, restricted hours
> Scenario 6: $36.0M - $2.50 fare, 60 trips, full area, 24/7 service
> Context: Even the most expensive option represents just 2.8% of RTD's $1.3 billion budget.
> 
> RTD’s Promise To Voters
> In November 2024, RTD asked voters to approve Ballot Measure 7A to keep all the sales tax revenue they receive without having to refund any amount over a certain threshold as required by the Taxpayers Bill of Rights. As part of their vote yes push,  they specifically promised to "maintain the availability of services for people with disabilities." The measure passed with 69% support.
> 
> Ten months later, they're breaking that promise to save under 3% of their budget. The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition endorsed 7A based on these disability service promises, and several directors pointed to this promise at the July meeting as they worked to come up with a new proposal that would keep AOD largely intact.
> 
>  
> The Stakes
> Staff is pushing hard for Scenario 2, which would:
> 
> Eliminate service for night shift workers and anyone who might need a ride overnight
> Cut off anyone outside Access-a-Ride boundaries
> Impose unacceptable $6.50 fares
> They're threatening to cut 3.3% of bus service if they don't get their way, despite being given the unlimited sales tax funds they asked voters for.
> 
> Bottom Line
> RTD management wants to gut their most effective paratransit program just months after voters gave them exactly the funding they said they needed to maintain these services. We need strong turnout Wednesday to make it absolutely clear that Scenario 2 is unacceptable and to remind the committee and the Board that voter promises matter.
> 
>  
> 
> Personally, I’ll be advocating for Scenario 4. It keeps the current AOD as it is while adding a fare in the same amount as the Access-a-Ride fare to give RTD some revenue. I think it gives us what we need while sending the message that we’re willing to pay our fair share.
> 
>  
> 
> Whatever your feelings on this issue, your voice counts. Please register and attend.
> 
>  
> Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uoXuiU3CS16FUViqwrmqzQ#/registration
> You’ll need to raise your hand in order to be acknowledged for public comment.
> After the public comment period, you can either remain online to listen to the discussion, or listen to the video or read the transcript that’s posted after the meeting.
>  
> The final recommendation will be taken up by the Board at their September 30 meeting.
>  
> Let’s show the Committee how much this program matters!
>  
>  
> Thanks for all you do!
>  
>  
> -Tim
> P.S. I’ll paste the memo below:
>  
>  
> FULL RTD MEMO TEXT (August 27, 2025)
> Memorandum
> Date: August 27, 2025
> To: Board of Directors
> From: Debra A. Johnson, General Manager and CEO
> Re: Access-on-Demand: Cost Updates
> 
> This memorandum serves to update the Board of Directors (Board) regarding staff's cost projections for various Access-on-Demand (AoD) program scenarios. These scenarios were brought forth during the monthly Board meeting held on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. Additionally, this memorandum provides important FY 2026 budget information that will aid the Board in determining the optimal path forward for the program.
> 
> As illustrated herein, the AoD program has grown considerably since its inception less than five years ago, more so than could have been anticipated. Along with that precipitous growth has come precipitous program cost increases. In order to ensure the program remains sustainable in the long term, cost controls must be established.
> 
> I recognize the real-world implications of the decisions the Board will need to make regarding this program. I myself do not take lightly the responsibility of ensuring equitable transit access for people with disabilities. I and members of my leadership team are empathetic to the diverse needs of RTD's customers and take great pride in providing transit services to the greater Denver region. RTD's functional mission as memorialized in the RTD Act is "to develop, maintain, and operate a mass transportation system for the benefit of the inhabitants of the district." To meet the region's transit needs, the agency must make sound business decisions to ensure its long-term sustainability while simultaneously delivering excellence and value to customers and community.
> 
> History
> 
> AoD was launched as a limited pilot program available within four ZIP codes in November 2020 as part of an expanded supplemental, premium service available to registered, eligible Access-a-Ride (AaR) customers. The program's goal was to provide a responsive, on-demand platform for paratransit customers, which was similar to the agency's Access-a-Cab program as it existed at that time. While AaR remains an accessible paratransit option for individuals who cannot use AoD for a variety of reasons (e.g., certain individuals require door-to-door service while others are unbanked or unable to use apps to book ride share trips, etc.), AoD provides a viable, convenient transit option for a significant number of individuals with disabilities who have come to rely on RTD as their mobility provider of choice.
> 
> Following a successful pilot, the Access-a-Cab and AoD programs were merged, and the Board approved an initial not-to-exceed (NTE) amount of $9.3 million for three years commencing January 2023. Since that time, the Board has approved increases to the total program not-to-exceed (NTE) amount, which now stands at $37.8 million through December 31, 2025, a four-fold increase from the original projection due largely to the popularity of the AoD program.
> 
> 2026 AoD Scenarios
> 
> In an effort to maintain consistency, assumptions regarding project costs and parameters have been presented in a similar manner since the start of discussions in November 2024; however, this has created the possible misconception that the cost controls under consideration would yield either cost savings or increased revenue for the agency in 2025, when in fact the program costs will eclipse the amount budgeted. To better illustrate the impacts of each scenario, this memorandum highlights projected costs for each of the scenarios as contemplated in the 2026 Budget. Projections have been developed based on a variety of historical data and assumptions relative to customer behavior based on the associated fare. Following are further details for each scenario.
> 
> Information previously presented to the Board has illustrated the actual trip subsidy paid by RTD to the four service providers and has not, prior to the dissemination of this memorandum, included the Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV) costs that should also be considered as part of the overall program costs. These costs have been included in the scenarios as described.
> 
> Scenario 1 – Staff's March 2025 Recommendation
> 
> Program Parameters:
> 
> Base fare: $4.50 standard fare/$2.25 LiVE fare, $25/trip subsidy
> Service area: 3/4-mile ADA boundary
> Service window: Current AaR service hours
> Trip cap: 40 trips/month
> Assumptions: Projections assume a reduced increase in new monthly customers of 3%, a reduction in trips of 5% to account for aligning current service delivery with ADA boundaries, and an average of 18 trips per customer per month based on a lower per month trip cap
> Annual Program Costs:
> 
> Trip subsidy after fare: $12,975,597
> WAV cost: $12,388,144
> Total cost: $25,363,741
> Scenario 2 – Staff's July 2025 Recommendation
> 
> Program Parameters:
> 
> Base fare: $6.50 standard fare/$3.25 LiVE fare, $20/trip subsidy
> Service area: 3/4-mile ADA boundary
> Service window: Current AaR service hours
> Trip cap: 60 trips/month
> Assumptions: Projections assume a reduced increase in new monthly customers of 3%, a reduction in trips of 5% to account for aligning current service delivery with ADA boundaries, and an average of 18 trips per customer per month based on a lower per month trip cap
> Annual Program Costs:
> 
> Trip subsidy after fare: $10,845,023
> WAV cost: $12,042,061
> Total cost: $22,887,085
> Scenario 3
> 
> Program Parameters:
> 
> Base fare: $4.50 standard fare/$2.25 LiVE fare, $20/trip subsidy
> Service area: 3/4-mile ADA boundary with the addition of service adjacent to Regional routes
> Service window: Current AaR service hours
> Trip cap: 60 trips/month
> Assumptions: Projections assume a reduced increase in new monthly customers of 3%, a reduction in trips of 5% to account for aligning current service delivery with ADA boundaries, and an average of 21 trips per month per customer
> Annual Program Costs:
> 
> Trip subsidy after fare: $15,138,197
> WAV cost: $14,452,834
> Total cost: $29,591,031 (29.3% increase over July 2025 Recommended Scenario)
> Scenario 4
> 
> Program Parameters:
> 
> Base fare: $4.50 standard fare/$2.25 LiVE fare, $20/trip subsidy
> Service area: Full RTD service area
> Service window: Available 24/7
> Trip cap: 60 trips/month
> Assumptions: Projections assume a reduced increase in new monthly customers of 3% and an average of 21 trips per customer per month
> Annual Program Costs:
> 
> Trip subsidy after fare: $15,934,944
> WAV cost: $15,213,510
> Total cost: $31,148,454 (36.1% increase over July 2025 Scenario)
> Scenario 5
> 
> Program Parameters:
> 
> Base fare: $2.50 standard fare/$1.25 LiVE fare, $20/trip subsidy
> Service area: 3/4-mile ADA boundary, with the addition of service adjacent to Regional routes
> Service window: AaR service hours
> Trip cap: 60 trips/month
> Assumptions: Projections assume a similar number of new customers per month at 3.5%, a reduction in trips of 5% to account for aligning current service delivery with ADA boundaries, and an average of 22 trips per customer per month
> Annual Program Costs:
> 
> Trip subsidy after fare: $18,604,453
> WAV cost: $15,578,409
> Total cost: $34,182,862 (49.4% increase over July 2025 Scenario)
> Scenario 6
> 
> Program Parameters:
> 
> Base fare: $2.50 standard fare/$1.25 LiVE fare, $20/trip subsidy
> Service area: Full RTD service area
> Service window: Available 24/7
> Trip cap: 60 trips/month
> Assumptions: Projections assume a similar number of new customers per month at 3.5% and an average of 22 trips per customer per month
> Annual Program Costs:
> 
> Trip subsidy after fare: $19,583,635
> WAV cost: $16,398,325
> Total cost: $35,981,960 (57.2% increase over July 2025 Scenario)
> (Note: For comparison, factoring in WAV costs, staff anticipates a total annual AoD program cost of $24,826,448 in 2025. This total assumes a sustained average monthly increase of 3.8% in customer demand, with the average customer taking 22 trips per month within existing program parameters.)
> 
> 2026 Budget
> 
> While the 2026 Budget is still being developed, staff anticipates that significant reductions in budgeted operating expenses will be required to ensure fiscal sustainability and prudent stewardship of taxpayer dollars, given RTD's change in net position from +$19M in 2023 to -$282M in 2024.
> 
> Should sufficient operating expense savings not be realized in the 2026 Budget, fixed-route service modifications would be necessary beginning in 2026. For purposes of the 2026 Budget, each 1% reduction in annualized fixed-route bus service delivery would yield a budgetary offset of approximately $4 million in operating costs.
> 
> Simply put, an increase in program costs of approximately $13.1 million, i.e., the difference in program costs between staff's recommended scenario presented in July 2025 and Scenario 6 as described, would necessitate an equivalent reduction of approximately 3.3% in fixed-route bus service. For comparison, the relative costs to operate the following highly utilized bus routes in 2024, the costs for which are comparable to the cost variance among the above scenarios:
> 
> Route Operating Costs (2024):
> 
> Route 15L: 2,972,437 boardings, $11,540,182 operating costs
> Route 15: 2,914,055 boardings, $11,280,570 operating costs
> Route 31: 1,961,552 boardings, $7,687,933 operating costs
> Route 105: 1,680,273 boardings, $6,669,049 operating costs
> Route 0: 1,649,888 boardings, $8,872,121 operating costs
> MALL: 1,511,656 boardings, $6,117,937 operating costs
> Route 16: 1,421,505 boardings, $6,182,302 operating costs
> Route 121: 1,368,101 boardings, $7,391,343 operating costs
> FF: 1,336,324 boardings, $9,558,717 operating costs
> Route 83: 1,081,752 boardings, $5,195,189 operating costs
> For further context, the anticipated AaR budget for the provision of services in 2026 is $53,419,030. This cost is in addition to any AoD costs outlined above.
> 
> Impacts to AaR
> 
> As discussed during the monthly Board meeting held on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, WAV vehicles used for AoD service are provided by RTD through the agency's existing AaR service contracts. As demand for AoD, and subsequently WAV service, increases, the service capacity of RTD's federally mandated complimentary paratransit service decreases correspondingly. Additionally, the demand for WAV trips provided through both AaR and AoD services continues to increase; for AoD specifically, demand has risen from a daily average of 79 trips in January 2025 to 116 in July 2025, a 47% increase. During this same period in 2025, monthly AoD on-time performance has decreased, from over 90% in January-April 2025, down to 86% by the end of July 2025. Staff attributes this performance decline at least partially to the impact of AoD WAV trip demands on AaR service.
> 
> I along with staff look forward to continued discussion regarding this matter during the Operations, Safety, and Security Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 10, 2025, and, if approved, the monthly Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
>  
>  
> _______________________________________________
> Colorado-Talk mailing list
> Colorado-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/colorado-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Colorado-Talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/colorado-talk_nfbnet.org/mermaid71007%40gmail.com
> List archives can be found at <http://www.nfbnet.org/pipermail/colorado-talk_nfbnet.org>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/colorado-talk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20250910/1404c4ed/attachment-0002.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Access-on-Demand Scenarios - Costs.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 217841 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/colorado-talk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20250910/1404c4ed/attachment-0001.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/colorado-talk_nfbnet.org/attachments/20250910/1404c4ed/attachment-0003.htm>