Brighton approves three‑year pilot for on‑demand shared ride service with RiverNorth Transit

Brighton City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to award a contract for an on‑demand, shared‑ride microtransit pilot to RiverNorth Transit LLC, approving a contract amount of $800,000 for the first year and authorizing the city manager or designee to execute the agreement.

The pilot will run through Dec. 31, 2027, and is sponsored by the Regional Transportation District (RTD) and the City of Brighton. RTD has committed up to $600,000 per year toward the program and Brighton has committed up to $200,000 per year, for a not‑to‑exceed annual contract amount of $800,000, City staff said. The city and RTD will split actual program costs as invoiced, subject to the not‑to‑exceed annual cap.

The service is an on‑demand, responsive vehicle program open to the general public within a defined coverage area inside the RTD district. Public Works Director Greg Labrie told council the planned operating window is up to 13 hours a day, Monday through Friday, with a typical start at 6 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. RiverNorth indicated it could begin service within eight weeks of a notice to proceed; staff estimated a mid‑ to late‑October start for 2025.

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