Council approves four-year Spare Labs contract for paratransit scheduling

The Lincoln City Council on Sept. 8 approved a four-year contract with Spare Labs Inc. to provide ADA-compliant paratransit and on-demand scheduling software, with an option to renew for a second four-year term. The vote was unanimous.

Elizabeth Elliott, director of OTU, told the council that Spare Labs has been the city’s provider since the program’s pandemic-era deployment under sole-source provisions. Staff conducted a competitive bidding process this cycle and again recommended Spare Labs. Elliott said the software handles scheduling and route optimization, provides Federal Transit Administration-required reporting, offers a customer-facing app that lets riders track vehicles and receive alerts, and supports ride surveys that record high satisfaction levels.

Elliott said retaining the existing vendor would minimize disruption: “Because this is already a program that we already use, staff and passengers won't see any change,” she said, noting current rider satisfaction rates in the mid-90s on post-ride surveys. The council agreed to move forward; the clerk recorded a 7-0 roll call in favor.

Key contract features noted by staff include a four-year base term with an option to renew an additional four years, continued rider-facing app functionality, automated route optimization using vendor algorithms, and reporting capabilities required by federal grant rules. No public comment was made on the item during the meeting.