AGENDA DATE: 1/15/2025
TITLE:
Title
MicroCat Update
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Presentation on the MicroCat service
ITEM TYPE: Regular Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Wall, Herrick, Filardo, Barnes, McDermott
PRESENTER (S): Kevin McDermott
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Albemarle County Transit Expansion Plan, completed in early 2022, was a planning exercise funded through a Department of Rail and Public Transit (DRPT) Grant and managed by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District (TJPDC) to evaluate opportunities to expand and improve transit throughout much of the Albemarle County Urban Development Areas. The result of that study was a recommendation to implement a micro-transit service to serve the Pantops and Places 29 - North Development Areas through a pilot program to determine the feasibility of this type of service to address transit needs in those areas. Micro-transit is a relatively new transit mode being implemented across the country. The service is an on-demand, technology-enabled solution that offers real-time trip requests and dynamically routed vehicles.
In 2023 Charlottesville Area Transit (CAT) applied for and received a $1.94 M demonstration grant to implement micro-transit in the Pantops and Places 29 - North Development Areas. The County committed to a local match for this grant of $388K. An evaluation was performed by CAT and Albemarle County to determine the operating model and release a Request for Proposals to contract with a micro-transit service provider to operate the service. Following a competitive procurement process, the contract was awarded to VIA to operate the service. This contract was for one year of service with up to three years of possible renewals. During the contracting and planning phase, the County, CAT, and VIA were able to realize additional service areas and operations to enhance the service beyond the initial proposals and provide...
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