North County Transit District officials report strong ridership for NCTD Plus microtransit; city leaders press on expansion and equity

North County Transit District officials told the San Marcos City Council on Sept. 23 that NCTD Plus, an on‑demand shared microtransit service launched June 10, 2024, has exceeded early ridership expectations and undergone several adjustments to fares and geography to improve access. The presentation drew questions from Mayor Rebecca Jones, Deputy Mayor Sunella and council members about evening and morning coverage, student usage, and cost to seniors.

NCTD Chief Executive Officer Sean Donaghy said the agency has logged more than 25,000 boardings since launch and averages about 2,000 monthly boardings. “We’ve actually expanded that service into Vista,” Donaghy said, adding that the agency is watching data and customer feedback as it scales. Yoni Choo, NCTD manager of service planning, said the service began in a roughly 10‑square‑mile zone and has been expanded twice — in September 2024 and February 2025 — to include retail locations and the San Diego Food Bank site. “This is the existing geography. The nice thing about this service is that it's really flexible,” Choo said.

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