Consultant pitches Fetch‑a‑Ride on-demand transit to Anna; estimates $400,000–$450,000 annual budget

Rick Coach of Trip Consulting presented a proposal for a demand‑responsive transit program that would enroll riders through a QR-to-app flow and use rideshare partners for most trips while contracting a WAVE provider for wheelchair-accessible rides. "We really go by two guiding lights: improve the overall user experience and keep the cost per ride low to the city," Coach said.

Coach cited partner-city results including Pflugerville and Wylie, where early programs produced thousands of trips and lowered municipal cost-per-ride compared with traditional microtransit. He said Wylie’s lifetime city cost averaged $6.96 per ride for the rideshare portion and that combined WAVE costs raised lifetime averages in some years. "I would probably budget somewhere between $400,000 to $450,000 for the program," Coach told council members when asked about yearly cost estimates.

Council members pressed on the higher cost for wheelchair-accessible (WAVE) rides, liability and insurance, scheduling versus on‑demand models, and the potential to geofence subsidies for events or specific zones. Coach said 98% of WAVE trips are prescheduled and that partner insurance limits (he cited Uber and Z Trip coverage figures) help manage liability. He also said the firm provides dashboard data to allow cities to measure economic impact and rider patterns. "We supply all the data, put it into the metrics that you're looking for," Coach said.

The council asked staff to bring a full presentation back with options targeting seniors and residents with disabilities, as well as lower-cost pilot configurations and budget entries for council review. Coach estimated 8–12 weeks to stand up service after contract award, noting his firm has launched programs in as few as five weeks for other cities.