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Hall County to Hold Public Hearing After Review Shows Transit Costs Could Rise Sharply
Summary
County staff outlined five options for Hall County—s rural transit program, including service reductions, rebidding or termination; officials set a public hearing and said bringing the service in-house may not produce large savings.
County staff presented five options for the future of Hall County—s rural transit service and set a public hearing to gather public comment.
Bob McFarland, who briefed the board, said continuing the current contract would require the county to cover an additional $75,000 to $85,000 a year on top of the existing local match of $31,275. He said cutting Friday service could save roughly $53,000 of that increase and that rebidding the contract or ending the service by Dec. 31 could avoid additional county costs under the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) budget.
"Option number one is to continue the service as it is being conducted now with the county incurring all the additional expenses," McFarland said, describing the range of choices before the board. He recommended setting a public hearing and exploring rebidding and regional partnerships to reduce per-ride costs.
McFarland told commissioners the program currently logs a per-ride cost of $147.35. He said larger operators, such as Midland Area on Aging, report much lower per-ride figures — as little as $45 to $50 per ride — because they can spread administrative costs over several counties.
The board discussed practical obstacles and timing. McFarland said some options (cutting service or ending it) would require renegotiation or rebidding and that the county attorney would need to weigh in on contract details. He also reported that past solicitations produced limited responses: the first bid process received no offers and a subsequent solicitation yielded a single bid from Holiday Express.
Commissioners asked about next steps for outreach. McFarland said flyers would be placed on buses and drivers instructed to hand them to passengers ahead of the hearing so current riders could participate.
Why it matters: Rural transit affects residents who rely on buses for employment, medical appointments and daily needs. Commissioners must weigh the county—s budget constraints against service needs and NDOT funding rules.
The board set a public hearing for June 30 at 9:30 a.m. to receive comments and gather additional information before making any formal decision.
