Council agrees to short-term $100,000 boost for Mogo microtransit as Wave transit contract uncertainty grows

Mobile City Council members voted to add $100,000 to a performance contract with the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation to extend the city’s Mogo microtransit service through June 30, city staff said at the council’s pre-meeting on March 25.

City officials and council members said the extra funding is meant to bridge service while the city reviews Wave Transit’s contract and evaluates whether microtransit operated by Via Transportation and the Chamber can expand to cover medical and workforce trips. A city official told the council the Chamber and Via said an expanded Mogo could be operational in roughly three weeks.

The supplemental funding would extend the Chamber’s contract that expires March 31, aligning the Mogo extension to the city’s June 30 contract timelines for Wave Transit, staff said. Officials said using the Chamber and Via for a short-term extension avoids an immediate request-for-proposal process and would allow time to design a longer-term arrangement after June 30.

Council members pressed for more data and a briefing before any further long-term commitments. Councilman Woods urged a broad review of public transportation systems and sought ridership data; staff said the Chamber and Via would present ridership and operational details to the council soon. The Chamber also indicated it would engage local health-care providers, including “USA Health,” in planning for medical-transport needs.

City staff said they do not expect the $100,000 allocation to increase the city’s overall transportation expense for the fiscal year because funds budgeted for Wave Transit are expected to be reduced as contracts change. Staff also said the administration and the public-safety director are preparing contingency plans to cover life‑saving medical trips for up to three weeks while the microtransit expansion is stood up.

Council members asked that the City schedule a Public Services Committee meeting to take a deeper look at the city’s public-transportation network and asked Wave Transit and the Chamber/Via to provide information to inform that discussion.

Votes and formal paperwork for the funding adjustment were handled during the consent/resolution agenda; the transcript records council agreement to waive rules and proceed but does not include a roll-call tally in the meeting record.

The council directed staff to arrange presentations from Via and the Chamber and to provide ridership and cost information to the council at a follow-up meeting.