Plan recommends microtransit for Clarkdale, service tweaks for Verde Shuttle

City transit staff and consultant Kimley‑Horn presented a five‑year transit development plan on July 16 that recommends moving low‑ridership, long‑runtime segments to microtransit and improving frequency on the city’s strongest fixed route.

Chris Jonas, the consultant, said the Clarkdale‑serving Red Line is the least utilized and that microtransit — a curb‑to‑curb, app‑booked van service — could provide more flexible coverage and better match trips in that area. "We removed the fixed route to Clarkdale and replaced it with microtransit," Jonas said, and noted alternative one fits within current budget constraints.

The plan would also shorten travel times and increase frequency on the best‑performing Green route, reconfigure the Red and Yellow routes for more efficient runs, and free one operator to serve microtransit. For the Verde Shuttle (the commuter route to Sedona), the plan recommends phased cuts as Sedona implements its own microtransit and as planned infrastructure — an uptown parking garage and later a Ride Exchange hub — comes online to reduce congestion delays.

Staff and the consultant discussed access for riders without smartphones: phone booking and staff booking were cited as fallback options. The plan outlines a capital program to replace aging vehicles, improve bus stops and upgrade dispatch/booking software; staff said software acquisition is budgeted via a federal 5311 grant and a procurement item will return to council.

The presentation drew support from several council members who said improved convenience and reliability could increase ridership.