Delmarva asks Kent County for $157,157 to sustain rural transit; agency pitches expansion of mobility‑on‑demand pilot

Delmarva Community Services representatives told Kent County commissioners they are requesting $157,157.45 in county operating support for FY2026 and described a recent mobility‑on‑demand (MOD) pilot that the agency has run in Kent County.

Andy (identified in the meeting as representing Delmarva Community Services) said the agency is asking for “a little over a hundred and 57,000 in operating” and that the current county contribution for the program has been about $91,000. He warned that pandemic (ARPA/COVID) funds that previously helped sustain service levels have been exhausted and that without continued county support Delmarva may have to reduce routes or frequency.

Andy described the county’s service footprint and use patterns: Delmarva reported about 6,728 total passenger trips in the county in the last year, with the most used single route recording 3,062 trips. The agency said it quietly rolled out a Kent‑on‑Demand mobility service that logged 1,405 trips without extensive advertising.

Henry, the transit director who accompanied Andy, and Delmarva staff said MOD (a demand‑responsive, smaller‑vehicle approach) is increasingly used in rural systems to reduce per‑trip costs and to improve user experience for older and disabled riders. Andy told commissioners that MOD allows smaller vehicles—often wheelchair accessible—to provide door‑to‑door service and shorter waits, and that Delmarva has started mobility pilots in other Mid‑Shore counties.

Delmarva’s presentation also asked the commissioners to consider regionwide reallocation of the multi‑county cost share for transit. Andy said current cost allocation splits the Mid‑Shore share evenly among participating counties, though usage and routes are uneven; he told commissioners he has discussed potential reallocation with neighboring counties and suggested Kent County’s share could fall if a new formula were adopted.

Commissioners asked about the operational tradeoffs of converting bus routes to small‑vehicle MOD, the timing needed to implement a larger MOD program and whether existing inter‑county trips (for work, college or medical appointments) would be retained. Andy said MOD is best suited to concentrated areas but that Delmarva would be willing to test expanded MOD in Kent with adequate funding and a one‑year lead to plan and advertise the service.

Ending: Commissioners did not take a formal vote. Several said they will review the FY2026 budget and consider Delmarva’s request alongside other competing needs; Delmarva requested a year of continued funding to pilot and plan service changes.