NAMPA, Idaho — Nampa is weighing changes to its public transit system after Valley Regional Transit presented new service options to the city council Thursday morning.
The options range from keeping service close to what it is now — with fixed routes and larger VRT vehicles traveling corner to corner — to a rideshare-style model using vans that riders request by phone or app, traveling curb to curb.
A third option would pair VRT with rideshare support when demand exceeds capacity. A fourth would rely exclusively on a rideshare company.
VRT CEO Elaine Clegg outlined how the hybrid model could work.
WATCH: Nampa public transit could soon change — from buses, to smaller kerb to kerb rides, to rideshare support
"We may contract with Uber or Lyft or other TNC to provide service when we are overloaded or on the edges to help it be more efficient," Clegg said.
Uber had been scheduled to appear alongside VRT at Thursday's transportation workshop. Less than 10 minutes before the meeting began, city council received an email — obtained by Idaho News 6 — in which Uber said it "received some very late guidance on this opportunity and have made the difficult decision not to participate in this morning's meeting" and encouraged support for VRT.
I called Uber's executive for transit partnerships, who is in town, left a voicemail, and have yet to hear back.
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That left VRT's proposal as the primary option on the table.
Nampa Councilman Sebastian Griffin said cost will be a key factor as the city moves forward.
"Bringing a number forward that is comparable to the market cost. Uber said it would cost between nine to eleven dollars to do kerb to kerb per person VRT said it would be $11.67. That's not too far off," Griffin said.
But Griffin said that does not mean the funding is guaranteed.
VRT's smaller microtransit option would still cost the city around $350,000. As Nampa heads into budget talks, Griffin said transit must compete with utilities, public safety, and aging infrastructure.
"What are we going to do with the $353,000 request? Where does it come from? What do we cut to be able to justify it? And is it worth, is the juice worth the squeeze?" Griffin said.
VRT said it is still working out what vehicles could be used for microtransit. The question now is whether that lower-cost model survives Nampa's larger budget process.
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