Norwalk approves 12‑month microtransit pilot, awards contract to Via subsidiary

The Norwalk City Council on Oct. 7 approved a 12‑month microtransit on‑demand pilot program intended to serve corridors currently covered by low‑productivity fixed routes 3 and 5 and authorized a contract with Nomad Transit LLC, a subsidiary of Via Transportation, to operate the service.

John Parker, the city’s transit presenter, told the council Norwalk Transit carried about 1.3 million passengers in fiscal 2024–25 and that routes 3 and 5 have been persistently low in productivity — averaging about 8.9 passengers per hour at an estimated cost near $19.81 per passenger hour. Parker said the pilot will deploy up to 12 wheelchair‑accessible minivans, operate inside zone boundaries that mirror routes 3 and 5, and allow riders to book curb‑to‑curb trips by mobile app or phone, request scheduled trips and subscription trips, and make short notice on‑demand requests. He also said fares during the pilot will match existing fixed‑route fares (adult fare $1.25) and that existing dial‑a‑ride services would continue.

Council members asked about performance measures, funding and risk. Councilmember Rick Ramirez asked Parker what metrics would determine success; Parker said data collection on ridership, passengers per hour and cost per passenger would be provided by the operator and that Via’s platform provides analytics for evaluation. Ramirez and other members expressed interest in eventual circulation services — referencing earlier, smaller circulator services that had supported local shopping centers — and asked staff to compare long‑term costs against in‑house operation models if the pilot proves successful.

On budget and funding, staff said the pilot contract value will not exceed $2,400,000 for the 12‑month term and that initial budget adjustments totaling $1,220,185 would be placed in the FY25‑26 transportation budget for the first six months; staff stated the funding would come from transit reserves and said there was no immediate impact to the city’s general fund. Parker noted federal funding interruptions (a concurrent federal government shutdown was discussed by members) were not expected to immediately affect near‑term operating funding; he said operations rely on federal funds for less than 10% of operating costs but that capital projects and bus procurements are more dependent on federal grants.

Councilmembers unanimously approved the resolution and contract authorization (recorded roll call: Ramirez, Rios, Valencia, Vice Mayor Jennifer Perez and Mayor Tony Ayala all voted aye). The pilot is scheduled to begin in January 2026 if procured on schedule. Staff said the city will present pilot performance metrics during and after the demonstration to assess whether microtransit should continue or be integrated with other local circulator concepts.

Implementation details from the staff report: the service will accept smartphone and web bookings and a phone‑in option for riders without smartphones; vehicles will be branded Norwalk Microtransit; trips can function as first/last‑mile links to major hubs including Norwalk/Metrolink and the Metro C Line station at the 605; and the pilot includes a 15% contingency in the contract authority. Staff requested council approval to execute and amend the agreement as long as funding is available in the budget.