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Valley Regional Transit recommends suspending low‑ridership Route 30 to save about $112,000; asks Meridian for a reduced FY2027 contribution
Summary
Valley Regional Transit told the Meridian City Council on May 26 that suspending Route 30, which averages about 6–9 daily boardings, would save roughly $112,000 and could reduce the city's FY2027 request to under $800,000; VRT also highlighted station upgrades, a youth-ride‑free pilot and plans for real‑time signage and on‑demand alternatives.
Valley Regional Transit representatives told the Meridian City Council on May 26 that they plan to recommend suspending Route 30 because the service has very low boardings and the change would let VRT meet service goals while easing Meridian’s FY2027 funding request.
Elaine Clegg, who led VRT’s presentation, told council members that the system had completed several capital and service improvements this year — including Main Street Station upgrades, four electric chargers and a bus‑stop inventory that identified 13 high‑priority stops in Meridian — and launched systemwide pilots such as youth‑ride‑free and real‑time information displays. But she said on‑time performance has suffered from valley‑wide congestion and that some low‑performing runs have few riders.
"So we're gonna suspend the Route 30," Clegg said, adding VRT expects that move to save "a little over $100,000" (later quantified in the presentation as about $112,000) and reduce Meridian’s requested contribution to below $800,000 for 2027. She described outreach and transition steps if the council agreed: contacting existing Route 30 riders, offering Beyond Access paratransit for eligible older adults or disabled riders, and piloting on‑demand service in lower‑demand areas.
The council pressed for data. Steven Hunt, chief officer of Valley Regional Transit, said the "daily average boardings on the 30 are about 6 to 9," and VRT officials said most Route 30 riders could shift to existing or adjusted Route 45 service or be served by an on‑demand alternative once outreach is complete.
Clegg framed the recommendation as a budget‑and‑service compromise: suspend the lowest‑performing route, preserve higher‑performing intercounty routes and use savings to avoid a larger city assessment. She also emphasized investments intended to improve reliability, including a new management system for parts and inventory, additional driver staging to reduce nonproductive hours, and planned bus‑stop shelters and real‑time displays where power is available.
Council members asked for follow‑up: trip origin/destination counts and multi‑year trends for routes 42 and 45, and more definitive ridership data before final budget decisions. Clegg said she would provide the requested trip data and that VRT will do targeted outreach to Route 30 riders before any suspension.
The presentation concluded without a formal council vote on Route 30; VRT’s suggestion will inform the upcoming budget conversations.
