Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Transit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council maintains Valley Regional Transit funding in draft budget after debate over route cuts
Summary
The Nampa City Council left funding for Valley Regional Transit (VRT) intact in the FY2026 draft budget — about $862,000 split between general government and Streets — and directed transit staff to continue work on a Canyon County-focused plan.
The Nampa City Council voted to keep the city’s Valley Regional Transit (VRT) funding in the draft FY2026 budget after several council members urged caution about pulling local transit service.
The budget as presented contained $471,856 in the general-government allocation and $391,092 in Streets — a total of roughly $862,948 for local transit services. Council members discussed alternative scenarios presented by the transit agency (fixed-route versus on-demand service levels), and VRT staff emphasized that cutting service now would make it harder to rebuild ridership in the future. VRT staff also provided scenario estimates, including a more concentrated downtown/boulevard service that could be piloted at a lower startup cost.
Council members repeatedly framed the transit question as one of where the city wants to focus: maintain regional connections (including to Boise) or shift emphasis to more robust intra–Canyon County service between Nampa and Caldwell. VRT and city staff said they are open to exploring a Canyon County‑focused model and pilot options that could improve frequency on high-demand corridors.
After discussion the council approved the budget funding for VRT as presented, while also requesting follow-up analysis of options to serve Canyon County more intensively and to assess the capital needs for bus stops and sidewalks associated with a proposed corridor project. The vote to keep the full funding was approved by majority vote.
