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.

Why it matters: City leaders said the pilot is intended to improve local mobility, connect residents to jobs and services, and gather data to refine service areas and hours. Council members and staff discussed performance thresholds set by RTD, data collection and ability to adjust coverage after initial months of operation.

Key details and council discussion - Contract award: RiverNorth Transit LLC was recommended as the lowest responsive proposer; council approved the award 8‑0. The contract term presented included costs for three years (city staff said one‑year not‑to‑exceed $800,000; three‑year total in proposals was described as $2,400,000). - Funding: RTD will pay up to $600,000 per year; the city committed up to $200,000 per year. City staff described the fiscal arrangement as a shared cost model and said actual first‑year costs may be lower than the $800,000 cap. - Performance metrics: RTD’s minimum expectations specified in the solicitation include at least two passenger boardings per vehicle hour on average, 50% of trips with wait times under 30 minutes, and 80% rolling‑stock reliability. Council members repeatedly characterized those minima as low and asked staff to seek higher performance where possible. - Start timeframe and operations: The city’s timeline assumes vendor setup and eight weeks to launch after notice to proceed; staff said initial vehicle dispatch will be roughly four to five vehicles during peak times. Vehicles will provide shared rides and are not expected to wait for return trips; riders must request return trips via the app or call. - Service area and adaptability: The initial coverage area’s northern boundary is roughly 160 Eighth Ave., western boundary the Platte River, eastern boundary near I‑76/140 Fourth, and a southern boundary near 140 Fourth; destinations will include Prairie Center and the Adams County Government Center and will include Prairie View High School as a destination. Staff said the service area can be adjusted during the pilot based on ridership data and requests. - Riders under 18: Staff said Colorado law permits unaccompanied riders age 13 and older; councilors raised safety and parental‑consent concerns and directed staff to analyze registration and app‑setup controls and vendor practices such as driver vetting and background checks. - Outreach and ridership growth: Staff said vendors are required to market the program and the city will coordinate with the communications office; staff plans to discuss launch promotions (for example, free‑ride promotions used by peer cities) to build early ridership.

Discussion vs. decision: Council’s questions and concerns about age limits, wait‑time minima, and future adjustments were recorded as discussion items. The formal decision was approval of the contract award to RiverNorth Transit LLC and authorization for the city manager or designee to execute the contract.

What’s next: Staff said they will finalize the vendor notice to proceed, begin vendor setup and marketing planning, and return to council with operational details as needed.

Speakers quoted in this article are limited to those who spoke in the meeting record: Greg Labrie, Public Works Director; City Manager Martinez; Council member Taddeo; Mayor Pro Tem Padilla; Council member Pulaski; Council member Snyder; Council member Fiddler; Council member Worth.

Ending: Council approved the award 8‑0. Staff will begin vendor onboarding and report back to council on launch timing and early performance metrics.