2025 Proposed City Budgets to Eliminate VRT On-Demand in Nampa, Eagle

Nampa proposed budget would eliminate VRT On-Demand in the city

The City of Nampa released a proposed fiscal year 2025 budget for public comment on Monday, August 5. The total budgeted for mass transit is less than VRT’s request and insufficient to maintain the city’s VRT On-Demand (Route 150) service. A public hearing for the proposed budget will be held on August 19 at 6 p.m. at Nampa City Hall.

If the council votes for the budget as presented, without restoring funding in its Streets Fund, the 150 Nampa/Caldwell On-Demand will be discontinued in the Nampa portion of its service area. VRT would continue existing service on routes 40 and 42 and the complementary Access paratransit service inside Nampa.

How to provide feedback

The City of Nampa has encouraged public comment throughout the budget process. For public comments to be included in the council packet, members of the public may share feedback with the city clerk by noon on August 14 at:

• Email: clerks@cityofnampa.us
• Call: 208-468-5415

The City of Nampa has also encouraged community members to testify in person at the public hearing, which will begin at 6:00 p.m. on August 19 at Nampa City Hall.

Following the August 19 public hearing, the Nampa City Council is expected to vote and adopt the new fiscal year’s budget, which would begin October 1, 2024.

This year’s funding

Lacking taxing authority, VRT plans transit services based on funding contributions from cities, counties, universities, and other regional partners, planning each year for services that align with available funding.

Over the past few years, VRT has used COVID relief funds to ease the financial burden on local jurisdictions, contributing $350,000 to the City of Nampa in the last fiscal year. As these funds are projected to deplete, VRT has asked cities for full contributions to continue service.

This year, VRT requested $705,506 from the City of Nampa, part of a 2023 agreement to use remaining COVID relief funding to help provide all existing VRT services in the city.

While the posted budget shows an omission message within the section related to VRT funding – “detail pages are omitted due to space constraints but will be made available at… the Public Hearing on August 19, 2024 at 6 p.m.” – city staff have provided details to VRT that indicate $471,856 is budgeted in the General Fund budget, pursuant to a council decision made at the City Council Budget Workshop on July 11^th.

At that workshop, a second decision was made to remove an additional $233,650 budgeted in the “Streets Fund.” Funding from the Streets Fund is necessary for VRT to continue operating the Route 150.

“This is a great example of why we need to find a better way to fund our transit system,” said VRT’s CEO Elaine Clegg. “The current model leaves us with inconsistent funding, which makes it nearly impossible to plan and provide reliable transportation services and burdens the strained budgets of our city and county partners. Additionally, it makes it more difficult for members of the public to know where and how to comment on decisions that impact them. I look forward to working with our state leaders to find common sense solutions that allow all stakeholders a voice in a more consistent and reliable method to fund these vital services.”

Route 150 Nampa/Caldwell On-Demand

VRT introduced the 150 Nampa/Caldwell On-Demand in October 2020. This service provides a transit service like rideshare, where riders are picked up near their location and dropped off near their destination. The service provided more than 30,000 rides during VRT’s last fiscal year and supports the city’s strategic plan to improve movement through Nampa, which includes a goal of a 10% reduction in commute times and a 10% increase in availability and ridership in public transportation offerings*.

*City of Nampa Proposed FY2025 Budget, page 26

Eagle proposed budget would eliminate 160 Eagle On-Demand

At its August 13 meeting, the Eagle City Council will consider a proposed fiscal year 2025 budget that does not include funding for the 160 Eagle On-Demand. If the budget is approved as proposed, the 160 Eagle On-Demand service would be discontinued October 1. The city’s existing Beyond Access service would be maintained.

The public is encouraged to provide feedback at the meeting on Tuesday, August 13th, at 6 p.m. at Eagle City Hall.

Route 160 Eagle On-Demand

The result of a lengthy planning process between VRT and the City of Eagle, VRT introduced the 160 Eagle On-Demand as a pilot in May 2023 and began full-fare service in September 2023, with service from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The City Council voted to expand the service in April this year, providing a longer span of service, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., to attract riders. Transit services often take a year or more to fully realize ridership potential.