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Council hears request to extend Via on-demand microtransit service and related parking-lease while new contract is negotiated
Summary
City staff requested a three-month extension of the Via Jersey City microtransit contract and a parallel lease-extension for the lot used by the Via fleet as negotiations continue on a successor vendor; some council members objected to repeated extensions despite staff saying the lease and third-party lot are at no cost to the city.
City transportation staff asked the council on Tuesday to authorize a three-month extension of the city's on-demand microtransit contract with Via Jersey City and a matching extension of the lease for the lot currently used to park the service fleet.
Mike Mansell, director of the Division of Transportation Planning, said the extension of the existing contract and the lot lease would keep service continuity while the administration completes negotiations on a new multi-year contract. Mansell said two proposals were received during the RFP process and that staff needs more time to finalize terms with a recommended vendor. The resolution is identified as Resolution 25-113 and the related ordinance (City Ordinance 25-019) would permit an extension of the Iggy Avenue lot lease that the Via fleet currently uses.
Council members pressed for detail. One council member said the city had repeatedly extended Via’s arrangements and expressed frustration that extensions continued even after prior assurances the last extension would be the final one. Mansell responded that the lot has been provided at no cost to the city and that the additional three months is a maximum period while negotiations continue. He also said last year’s Via contract was approximately $7.4 million; a three-month extension would represent approximately one quarter of that amount (~$1.8 million).
No formal vote was recorded at the caucus meeting; staff said the ordinance and resolution would appear on the council’s agenda for action. Council members requested clearer timelines from administration staff about the procurement schedule and asked that staff aim to conclude negotiations as quickly as possible.
The council also debated whether the vendor should be required to provide its own parking lot going forward; Mansell said the new RFP requires vendors to supply parking but the new vendor cannot finalize a lease until the contract is signed, which is why the extension is requested.
