Sedona transit ridership climbs; city tests evening microtransit hours and plans facility

Sedona transit staff reported steady ridership gains and service adjustments during a City Council update on the Sedona in Motion (SIM) program.

Transit Administrator Amber Wagner told the council that, as of April 30, Sedona’s fixed shuttle services had recorded more than 1,069,712 boardings since initial service began in March 2022 and that the newer Connect On Demand microtransit had provided 11,763 one‑way passenger trips through April 30. “Connect has already provided 11,763 passenger trips,” Wagner said.

The update matters because city leaders are using transit to relieve neighborhood congestion near trailheads and Uptown while the city evaluates longer‑term funding and facilities. Wagner said staff will present a deeper analysis of ridership trends, the Sedona Transit Implementation Plan and funding needs at a June council work session.

Wagner described recent operational changes intended to test demand: the city extended Connect On Demand service hours beginning March 2 and through April 27 to align more closely with the Trailhead Shuttle’s schedule, and—based on early results—extended evening service until 8:30 p.m. through June. Wagner said staff will continue to monitor usage and community feedback and that a summer marketing push will promote the on‑demand option via hotel outreach, hospitality partners and coupon campaigns.

Councilors asked for more granular data. Vice Mayor Plueg and others requested quicker access to near‑real‑time trip reporting and a resident vs. visitor breakdown; Wagner replied she can “look at it” and will provide origin–destination, time‑of‑day, and (where the software allows) indicators that help distinguish resident callers from short‑term rental users. Council members also asked that staff tie transit ridership to traffic metrics—showing whether shuttles remove vehicles from the town’s most congested corridors—so the city can quantify congestion relief.

Finance questions focused on cost and budget flexibility. A staff member, Annette, said the transit fund includes a reserve set aside for future expansion. “In the transit fund you do have a $5,300,000 reserve,” said Annette, noting the reserve could cover short‑term extensions or expansions if council chose to make them permanent. Wagner added that staff were able to extend evening hours without immediate additional vehicle costs by reallocating buses from low‑demand morning service to evening service.

Staff also briefed the council on capital planning. Wagner said the city is scoping a consolidated transit maintenance and operations facility to centralize storage, maintenance and administration; staff described that facility as a likely “one of our most important long‑term capital projects” that would reduce reliance on third‑party contractors. The city is also preparing an Uptown Circulator Feasibility Study to evaluate a fixed circulator route linking the new parking garage with Uptown, Tilakapaki and Hillside Shopping Center; staff expect a preferred vendor kickoff in June and a final report by December or early 2026.

Councilors and staff flagged follow‑up items for the June work session, including: resident vs. visitor ridership breakdowns, passengers per hour targets or cost‑per‑trip benchmarks, the long‑term facility plan and funding scenarios, and performance thresholds that would trigger continued evening hours beyond June.

What’s next: staff will present a full data deep dive at a June work session; staff said they will continue monitoring Connect On Demand performance through June and run targeted outreach and marketing this summer.