The Panhandle Regional Planning Commission (PRPC) addressed the council on Oct. 28 to outline a federally funded rideshare voucher pilot that would partner with Amarillo City Transit (ACT) to expand access to on‑demand trips for seniors, people with disabilities and residents referred by social‑service and medical agencies.

Program design and funding
- PRPC received an award under the Federal Transit Administration’s Innovative Coordinated Access & Mobility (ICAM) program to pilot a voucher system and an ADA‑accessible vehicle for Amarillo.
- The pilot is planned for four to six months to test demand and reporting. PRPC would serve as the federal grant recipient and sub‑recipient relationships would be formalized with the city via an interlocal agreement.
- Estimated pilot costs discussed: approximately $140,000 for an ADA‑accessible vehicle (grant‑eligible) and roughly $84,000 for six months of operations based on internal cost estimates; target ridership was discussed in the 300–350 trips range for the pilot period.

Operational goals and outreach
- The program aims to fill mobility gaps left by fixed‑route transit, help users access healthcare, groceries and jobs, and provide flexible options for temporary disabilities.
- Council members stressed the need for a focused marketing and outreach plan to reach seniors, health providers and social‑service organizations so eligible riders can use vouchers. PRPC and ACT representatives said they would incorporate city marketing resources and outreach in the pilot rollout.

Next steps
- PRPC and ACT will finalize an interlocal cooperation contract and program intake criteria; staff indicated the grant timeline requires resolution steps before the next council meeting in November.
- The pilot’s data will inform whether to scale the program and seek additional funding to sustain on‑demand services.

Ending: Council welcomed the grant and asked staff to return with a formal interlocal agreement and a clear outreach plan to ensure eligible residents can access the service.