Chesterfield officials outline sustainability plan for Access on Demand, update Cloverdale microtransit pilot

Chesterfield County staff on Wednesday gave an update on the county’s Access on Demand paratransit program and on the GRTC Cloverdale microtransit pilot, saying the county faces sustainability questions as ridership rises and operating costs climb.

Kim Conley, a Community Engagement and Resources staff member, described Access on Demand as a schedule-and-pickup service that serves Chesterfield County residents who are age 60 or older, have a short- or long-term disability, or meet a low-income threshold. Conley said the service covers in-county trips for any purpose and allows out-of-county work and medical trips to Richmond, Henrico, Hanover and parts of Hopewell and Colonial Heights.

Why it matters: Access on Demand provides door-to-door, ADA-accessible trips primarily for seniors, residents with disabilities and low-income riders. Staff said the program is heavily used for employment trips and medical trips and that county leaders want to maintain the service while controlling costs.

Conley traced the program’s history: Access Chesterfield launched in 2004 as a curb-to-curb, voucher-based service; the county transitioned the program to Access on Demand in 2019 and has added online registration and reporting tools. Staff credited an internal Power BI tool developed in 2022 for making usage and cost data easier to track.

Conley reported that, according to the county’s Power BI dashboard, Access on…