Members of the Bismarck Human Relations Committee on an in‑meeting review of recent community conversations and steering committee work outlined persistent problems with city transit and paratransit, and discussed possible remedies including route restructuring, expanded hours and volunteer or voucher programs.

Committee members said riders reported difficulty booking paratransit on short notice, long waits to be picked up after appointments, gaps in service to some destinations within city limits and limited accessible vehicles. The meeting also recounted a change to the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) waiver that, as reported by speakers, removed a prior arrangement under which agencies could transport individuals with state reimbursement; community members said that has forced some families to pay for trips they previously did not have to cover.

Why it matters: committee members and service users said the problems disproportionately affect people with disabilities, families with children who need medical appointments and older residents. The group discussed short‑term fixes people suggested — such as loaner accessible vans, vouchers for low‑income riders, closer stop locations near food pantries and dedicated runs to clinics — and longer‑term structural changes such as buying different bus models and improving driver pay and snow removal.

Committee discussion: speakers summarized ideas gathered at public community conversations: a loan program modeled on an existing vehicle‑loan program in other North Dakota cities; partnering with private taxis on reduced fares; a central hub with a voucher program; and targeted appointment‑only transit runs. One speaker described work by a local transit steering committee that reduced an expected reserve draw by securing additional outside funding and lower fuel prices; that speaker said a motion at the steering‑committee level allotted up to $1,000,000 to cover part of the shortfall, and that timing rules for an initiated measure changed so money might be accessible earlier than previously expected.

On service hours and federal rules: the committee heard that federal grant conditions require paratransit hours to match the federally supported fixed‑route hours for the grant period, which a meeting participant summarized as a minimum 7 a.m.–7 p.m. match for federal funding. Committee members said any expansion beyond those federally matched hours — for example moving start and end times toward a 6 a.m.–10 p.m. window or adding Sunday/holiday service — would require local dollars or separate grants and needs to be aligned with expected revenues.

On routing and operations: the steering committee has been studying route timing and discussed converting some circular routes into more out‑and‑back routes with a target maximum ride time of about 30 minutes. Members also discussed staffing constraints — including driver supply and the potential for more part‑time drivers — and safety and accessibility problems such as lack of bus shelters, snow‑blocked curb cuts and loading zones used for parking rather than passenger pick‑up.

Interjurisdictional coordination: committee members emphasized the need to coordinate with Mandan, described in the meeting as a separate governing entity across the river, before implementing any joint solutions affecting both sides.

Next steps and limits: the Human Relations Committee did not adopt a formal city policy at this meeting. Members asked staff to continue convening the transit steering committee and to return with more detailed proposals on routes, hours and the policy framework for any new fare or voucher programs. Several committee members emphasized that changes still depend on revenue availability and grant rules.