Council hears plan to keep Chandler Flex operating with $1 million in congressional funds

On April 21, 2025, City of Chandler staff presented a proposed agreement with RiverNorth Transit, also known as Via, to continue operating the city’s Chandler Flex on-demand transit service, funded in part by $1 million in congressional directed spending.

City staff said Chandler Flex fills gaps in fixed-route coverage on the city’s south side and has provided more than 100,000 rides to about 5,000 unique passengers since the service began in February 2022. The presentation described fares, ridership patterns and possible boundary expansion, and staff answered questions from council. The council did not vote on the item at the study session; it was called in for the consent agenda and scheduled for a formal vote at the council meeting on Thursday.

Ryan Peters, the city’s strategic initiatives director, told council the city had to reprocure the service to meet Federal Transit Administration guidelines before using the congressional award. “The city was awarded a million dollars in congressional directed spending, from congressman Stanton,” Peters said. He described Chandler Flex as an on-demand service in which passengers request rides via an app or phone; vehicles are typically shared, pickups may require a short walk to a designated area, and the service links riders to regional bus connections.

Peters said the passenger fare is $2 for most trips and $1 for older adults and people with disabilities. Students ride free to and from after-school activities but pay regular fare on other trips. He said about one-third of Chandler Flex trips are school trips and that the service has a 4.9 out of 5 rating.

Vice Mayor Ellis asked about expanding the service area and increasing capacity. “When are we gonna expand this, and how far can we take it?” Ellis asked. Peters said staff has looked at incremental expansion to the north and southeast of the current boundary, funded by a combination of congressional partners, regional transit funds and city general funds, but he said there are no firm launch dates for additional expansions.

Peters and other staff framed the procurement as a measured approach intended to keep costs manageable while serving areas underserved by fixed-route transit, such as access to Chandler Regional Medical Center, Tumbleweed Park and employment centers along Price Road. He said the program also plans free summer trips to city facilities to encourage ridership when schools are out.

No formal motion or vote occurred during the study session. The item was called in by Vice Mayor Ellis for discussion and will return to the council for a vote on Thursday.