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County weighs in-house microtransit and route redesign while flagging budget limits
Summary
County staff said a route-redesign draft due next week will determine how flex (microtransit) is used; staff are estimating costs to convert flex drivers to county employees while warning ECAT operates largely on gas-tax and grant revenues and faces budget constraints.
Union representatives asked whether flex/microtransit will be brought in-house and how that would affect bargaining and pay. Debbie Powers said the county is awaiting a first draft of a route redesign that will determine where flex is used and how it integrates with fixed routes; she added that the county will continue TD service through June 30 while the redesign is finalized.
"We're doing the route redesign, which we hope to get a first draft next week," Debbie Powers said, noting the redesign will determine routes and vehicle usage. West Marino said county staff are calculating the cost to bring flex drivers on as county employees, including benefit estimates, so leaders can assess affordability.
County and union participants discussed procurement and vendor status: fixed-route service has been awarded to Ride Cares (ITL), while flex/microtransit is planned as a distinct service. Union members asked about compression of wages if new flex employees are hired at different scales; staff said any changes will be influenced by the budget process and the county’s preliminary proposals.
The county also provided broader budget context: West Marino warned that certain state-level property-tax exemption proposals could have large fiscal effects, and staff said ECAT relies on gas-tax revenue and grants rather than the general fund. That limited revenue base constrains immediate wage or service expansions.
Next steps: staff will return with cost estimates for bringing flex employees in-house; route-redesign recommendations are expected to inform implementation timelines, with staff suggesting possible August timing for some flex transitions but noting operational steps remain.
