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Costa Mesa officials say senior taxi program is unsustainable; outreach set for March
Summary
City staff told the Parks & Community Services Commission that rising contract rates and heavy usage mean the free senior taxi program faces a roughly $800,000 shortfall next year. Staff will hold three member-only outreach sessions in March and return options in April.
Costa Mesa officials told the Parks & Community Services Commission on Feb. 12 that the city's long-running senior transportation program is no longer financially sustainable and that the city will hold three member feedback sessions in March before returning policy proposals to the commission.
Kevin Stoddard, senior recreation supervisor, outlined the program's structure and funding. The city provides two services under the Senior Transportation Program (STP): an in‑city senior mobility service and non‑emergency medical trips to locations across northern Orange County. Today all rides are free for eligible users (Costa Mesa residents age 60 and older who are senior‑center members), and the current contractor — Orange County Yellow (previously California Yellow Cab) — operates under a professional services agreement that expires June 30, 2026.
Stoddard said the program logged about 24,290 rides last fiscal year and roughly 26,000 rides from Oct. 2024 to Sept. 2025. He also presented a concentration of use: "The top 20 percent — 97 people — took 19,881 rides,"…
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