Lake Havasu City transit staff told the City Council Tuesday that ridership has increased since the city launched its app‑driven dial‑a‑ride system and the council approved buying two ADA‑equipped low‑floor vans to expand capacity.

The transit presentation and the vehicle purchase were both on the council agenda. Transit program manager Patrick Cypress said the system delivered 24,738 trips between July 2024 and June 2025 and that the city has about 2,096 active customers who used the service at least once.

Why it matters: City staff said the on‑demand model is intended to serve workers, students and residents who do not have cars and to provide a cost‑effective alternative as gas prices rise. Staff said the technology has increased ridership and allowed the city to commingle general public trips with paratransit trips for efficiency.

Cypress described the local app and operations. "As soon as we flipped to our own app that we have specially made for the Lake Havasu community, we just took off," he said, adding the service averages about 100 trips a day and had 798 active riders who completed at least one booking since June 30, 2025. He also said the city uses Via for operational dashboards and reporting.

Council discussion and action: Council member David Diaz moved to approve the purchase of two BraunAbility ProMaster ADA low‑floor vans from Bridal 1 Commercial Vehicles, Inc. in the amount of $268,254. Council member Cameron Moses seconded, and the motion carried 7‑0.

Funding and timing: Cypress told the council the vehicles will be paid from the city's Section 5307 Federal Transit Administration apportionment with the local match from the general fund and that the vendor can deliver the vans in roughly 6 to 8 weeks. He said the newer vans are on a heavier 1‑ton chassis and use bus‑style doors and power winches for wheelchair securement, which staff expects will reduce wear and improve safety compared with older sliding‑door vans.

Background: City staff said the transit program began converting to a public on‑demand model around 2020 and that the current platform replaces an earlier Uber‑based dispatch. The city manager noted the app is called LHC Direct and is available in app stores.

What's next: Staff will take delivery and place the vans into service; council did not set additional conditions in the motion.