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Fountain Hills to shift Ride Choice toward stricter eligibility after ridership triples
Summary
Staff reported Ride Choice ridership grew from about 900 riders in 2022 to roughly 3,000 last fiscal year, creating a projected funding gap. Council directed staff to move back to the Valley Metro classic fare model and require ADA certification, with implementation targeted for early 2027 and interim data collection.
Valley Metro’s Ride Choice program for Fountain Hills seniors and disabled residents has tripled in use over four years, creating a structural funding gap that staff say lottery funds alone will not cover.
Dave Trimble (Speaker 12) told council the program—previously funded by Arizona Lottery funds and public-transportation funds—now projects total costs approaching $160,000 while expected lottery funding remains near $60,000. Trimble traced much of the increase to a mileage fare option introduced by Valley Metro that cut rider fares on longer trips and made the service more attractive.
Trimble presented a menu of responses: require ADA certification, revert to the classic Ride Choice pricing model, raise the minimum rider fare, set income-based eligibility or add modest general-fund support. Council members emphasized protecting medically essential trips while limiting discretionary use. Kimberly Wickland, the volunteer supervisor for the town’s Give A Lift program, described the service as vital for many residents and said some trips are essential medical transports.
Council direction: move the program back toward the classic Valley Metro model and require ADA certification, with staff to implement changes on a schedule that allows outreach and transition (staff proposed building changes into the January–July 2027 window). Staff will also collect and report another year of detailed ridership data to refine the policy and budget impact.
