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NewTrax revives Roseville-area senior circulator; seeks city partnership of about $7,000
Summary
NewTrax described an expanded Tuesday circulator serving senior housing and nearby retail; the operator reported growing ridership and asked the city to consider a $7,000 annual contribution toward a roughly $50,000 annual operating target.
Scott Olsen, executive with NuTrax, presented an update on a revived Roseville–Little Canada circulator bus at the Aug. 11 Roseville City Council meeting and asked the city to consider a modest contribution to keep the route running.
The circulator is a nonprofit-operated, demand-light service designed for seniors and adults with disabilities. “We are not a public transportation organization,” Olsen said, describing NuTrax’s nonprofit model and its role as the Ramsey County mobility-management organization. He said the current loop runs one day a week (Tuesday) with five smaller buses, each assigned to a subset of senior communities; the buses hold up to 14 riders each.
Why it matters: council members and senior-housing operators have cited transportation gaps for older residents. If sustained, the circulator could provide one more option for seniors who lack other regular transit connections to groceries, pharmacies and social destinations.
Olsen said the service began limited operations in April after driver training and phased roll-out. Ridership has grown: he reported 42 riders on a recent Tuesday and about 75 unique riders enrolled in the program overall. NuTrax seeks recurring local support to help cover about $50,000 in annual costs; Olsen suggested an initial city contribution of $7,000 and said some senior communities have already committed funds (Cardigan Ridge and Preserve of Roseville, $2,400 each reported). NuTrax also reports two grants in place but said other grants have been reduced and that long-term sustainability will require a mix of municipal, building-level and rider donations.
Council members asked practical questions about capacity, typical destinations and scheduling. Olsen said riders generally go to large retail and grocery destinations (Walmart, Cub, Aldi, Rosedale), farmers markets, visits to friends and cafés; drivers hold roughly an hour at destinations to allow errands. He said the program can also pick up residents who live at private addresses if they register in advance. The operator stressed that nobody is denied a ride for inability to donate; riders are encouraged to contribute.
Council members expressed support for the model and interest in seeing quarterly reporting on ridership and finances if the city provides funding. No formal appropriation vote occurred at the meeting; staff and the council discussed adding a $7,000 request into budget discussions and continuing conversations with NuTrax and local senior communities.
