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Council approves new senior transportation contract with user limits and modest co‑pays to keep service solvent
Summary
Facing rapid ridership growth and declining special‑purpose grants, council awarded a new contract for the senior transportation program to Orange County Yellow with revised program rules: an eight one‑way‑ride monthly cap and co‑pays ($3 one‑way nonmedical, $5 one‑way medical) to stabilize the service.
The council approved a new professional‑services agreement for the senior transportation program with Orange County Yellow Management LLC and adopted policy changes intended to keep the program fiscally sustainable after a surge in ridership and expiration of prior grant support.
Key details: Staff reported ridership growth from roughly 5,000 annual rides in 2021 to nearly 25,000 in 2025, driven in part by door‑to‑door demand during and after the pandemic. Staff said prior M2 and one‑time grant funding has been exhausted and recommended a service model that limits nonmedical trips to within Costa Mesa, narrows some long‑distance medical destinations, caps rides at eight one‑way trips per rider per month, and establishes a one‑way co‑pay of $3 for nonmedical rides and $5 for medical trips. The recommended contractor proposed lower per‑ride pricing than a competing bidder and was selected on that basis along with qualifications.
Council action: After public‑center outreach and discussions with the senior advisory body (PAX), council approved the award and directed staff to monitor usage closely, pursue additional grant funding and return with data on unmet need and program performance.
Follow up: Staff said it will collect monthly invoicing and ridership data, survey users as necessary and report back to council on program stability and whether co‑pay levels or ride caps should be adjusted.
