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Council schedules comment section after transit presentation; DRPT grant changes lower local match for Radford Transit
Summary
City staff said additional DRPT support will lower Radford’s local match for the TRIPS grant from 70% to 50% for the current fiscal year; council agreed to a public comment section following a transit presentation at the Jan. 27 meeting and staff will provide a full budget presentation and ridership report.
City staff told Radford City Council that the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) has offered additional funding that reduces the city’s local share on its TRIPS grant from 70% to 50% for the current fiscal year, producing near-term cost savings for Radford Transit.
Melissa (city staff) said DRPT’s change affects the local match for the third year of the TRIPS grant and that staff is still assembling revised budget numbers. She told the council she expected to provide a fuller funding breakdown and a ridership report at the Jan. 27, 2025 meeting and said she would post materials on the city website. “We are only spending the matches 50% versus our 70% match that we have right now,” Melissa said.
Council discussed whether a formal public hearing was required. Staff said that because Radford is a subrecipient to the state (not a direct FTA recipient), a public hearing is not legally required. Council members nonetheless wanted an opportunity for public comment; the council agreed to schedule a dedicated comment section following the transit presentation at the Jan. 27 meeting rather than a formal public hearing with statutory advertisement.
Council members emphasized the transit system’s role for residents who lack other transportation options and noted ridership increases: staff told the council ridership is up more than 43% over last year. Staff also described vehicle replacement timing and fleet-sizing considerations; several large buses are at the end of their useful life and staff plans to replace some older high-capacity vehicles with smaller buses while retaining a few larger buses for events and emergency needs.
Melissa said she will provide options and the full budget package to council by the January 27 meeting and noted potential cost savings over the coming 18 months. Council agreed the Jan. 27 meeting will include the transit presentation followed by a public comment section for questions and feedback.
