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Riviera Beach-area BusLink pilot to cut voucher value and daily uses to curb costs
Summary
City staff told the Riviera Beach City Council that a BusLink on‑demand pilot completed nearly 200,000 trips but exceeded budget; starting Feb. 1 the program will split a large service zone, reduce daily vouchers from four to two and lower the voucher from $8 to $5 to steer riders toward fixed‑route first/last‑mile connections.
Riviera Beach — City staff told the council that the Palm Tran BusLink on‑demand pilot completed just shy of 200,000 trips in its first year and served more than 5,000 unique riders, but exceeded the program’s originally budgeted threshold.
An unidentified presenter said the median fare was $7.56, the median trip lasted about six minutes and covered under two miles, and that much of the usage concentrated in an East Central zone that includes Lake Park, Palm Beach Gardens, Riviera Beach and West Palm Beach. "That 48.3% is the city of Riviera Beach," the presenter said, describing heavy ridership in the Blue Heron area.
To reduce costs and better align the service with its first‑and‑last‑mile purpose, staff announced program changes effective Feb. 1: the large East Central zone will be split into three smaller zones; riders will be limited to two voucher‑subsidized rides per day instead of four; and the per‑ride voucher amount will drop from $8 to $5. The presenter framed the change as a cost‑mitigation step directed by the Board of County Commissioners after the pilot outpaced its budget.
Council members asked how the city planned to notify riders. The presenter said vouchers appear in the Uber app for users inside a geofence, and staff is also using mailers, social media, QR codes at former bus stops and an existing mailing list to alert customers. One council member urged more direct mailers and postings on the municipal channel so seniors who do not use ride‑hailing apps learn of the change.
Staff said the median trip cost of about $6.95 means a $5 voucher still covers most of a subsidized ride; the policy change is intended to preserve first/last‑mile connections to fixed routes while reducing program subsidy exposure. Staff will monitor the modified program over the next six months and report back to the Board of County Commissioners.
