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Consultant Rob Gregg urges MTPO to plan for 2027 paratransit changes, recommends in-house scheduling and mobility-on-demand
Summary
Rob Gregg of the University of South Florida's Center for Urban Transportation Research told the MTPO the current demand-response model has rising costs and urged the board to start planning now for two 2027 contract expirations; he recommended keeping ADA and TD services integrated, moving scheduling/dispatch in-house at RTS and exploring mobility-on-demand partnerships.
Rob Gregg, a consultant with the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida, told the MTPO on Friday that demand-response transit services (ADA and Transportation Disadvantaged programs) are the community's most expensive transit function and that recent contract renewals have driven costs higher.
Gregg said the MTPO and partners should begin planning now for 2027, when key contracts expire. "Determine the future of the CTC," he said, referring to the Community Transportation Coordinator role, and urged the board to use the intervening years to evaluate organizational options and contracts. "You don't wanna split this service up," Gregg added, recommending that ADA and TD services remain integrated to preserve efficiency and customer service.
The consultant described three potential models: incremental changes to the current contractor-managed model; a phased shift to mobility-on-demand tools and mixed public-private partnerships; and a longer-term reorganization that would give the transit operator greater control over core functions. Gregg highlighted operational choices that could reduce costs without cutting service: bringing scheduling and dispatching in-house at RTS, adopting accessible technology platforms, and using brokered contracts for drivers or vehicle provision where appropriate.
Gregg also flagged recent cost changes after a 2021 contract rollover, saying the community saw an increase "by over $1,000,000" in paratransit operating costs after that procurement. He described how funding program types (SA/SU suballocations, state TD funds) and eligibility rules complicate local budgeting and recommended that the MTPO, city, county and local coordinating board jointly decide the CTC's future well before the 2027 contract renewals.
Board members pressed on equity, service area and governance questions. One commissioner noted that RTS's fixed-route service and its urbanized-area boundary affect ADA eligibility and cautioned that contracting choices have customer-service implications for older adults and people with disabilities. Several members expressed interest in exploring mobility-on-demand pilots and in weighing whether jobs created by outsourcing remain locally based.
Rob Gregg concluded by recommending a governance study and a technical evaluation to align partners before the next contract cycle. The MTPO did not take formal action on Gregg's recommendations; staff said they would bring options and technical work plans back to subcommittees for further study.
