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Norman transit reports ridership gains, orders paratransit replacement and plans procurement work
Summary
City transit staff reported February ridership rose to 42,536 (from 36,713 a year earlier), ordered a replacement paratransit vehicle after an accident, noted Norman on Demand demand declines, and said staff will evaluate procurement options (RFP) and security upgrades with contractors Embark and Via.
City transit staff (identified in the meeting as Taylor) briefed the committee on February transit operations, vehicle procurement and service metrics.
Taylor said staff are working with contractors Embark and Via to implement security enhancements at the transit center and that the city has ordered a replacement paratransit vehicle after a recent accident; the replacement is expected around July–August, with three large buses also expected next spring. Taylor said grant funding is available for some vehicle purchases and that staff will pursue those sources as the budget process continues.
On ridership, staff reported total February ridership of 42,536 compared with 36,713 the prior February, with notable gains on West Lindsey Street where weekend and weekday boardings rose after a service redesign. Taylor also said "plus" (paratransit) ridership rose to about 400 trips for the month and that bike boardings on buses increased roughly 66 percent.
Norman on Demand (the demand‑response service) completed about 2,200 trips in February, down from roughly 4,000 the prior February; staff explained the service is being adjusted to preserve cost‑efficiency and maintain target KPIs such as average wait time (about 17 minutes in February versus about 30 minutes the same month last year). Taylor said staff are trimming vehicle hours to improve cost per service hour and meet budget targets.
Councilor Ross asked whether staff can disaggregate Norman on Demand trips by disability or mobility need. Taylor said wheelchair‑accessible vehicle trips were six in February compared to 38 last February; staff said they currently track wheelchair trips separately but do not reliably track other types of disability that do not require a wheelchair‑accessible vehicle. Taylor said staff will evaluate scheduling and procurement options—possibly an RFP in early fall—to optimize paratransit and demand‑response service and suggested integrating scheduling software where feasible.
Taylor told the committee that a budget amendment related to contractor service changes may come to council in June. The committee did not take a formal action during the meeting; staff will return with procurement timelines and funding recommendations as the fiscal process advances.
