Rochester Citizens Advisory on Transit Meeting - October 19, 2026

The Citizens Advisory on Transit (CAT) of Rochester, Minnesota, met to receive the August 2026 Transit Report, hear an update on the ZIPS paratransit service, and discuss the trade-off between frequency and coverage in transit service design. The committee approved the prior meeting minutes and agenda, accepted a member resignation, and was notified of a temporary park-and-ride relocation. No public comments were offered.

Note: The agenda and minutes are dated October 8, 2026, while the metadata provided for this summary specifies 2026-10-19; this summary uses the specified metadata date.

Consent Calendar & Routine Approvals

• Minutes of the September 11, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously (moved by Kenneth D. Baerg, seconded by Derek S. Aiono).
• The order of the agenda was approved unanimously (moved by Derek S. Aiono, seconded by Kristin E. Buchholz).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public offered comments during the open comment period.

Transit August 2026 Report

• Transit staff presented the August 2026 Transit Report as an information item. They explained that the transit reserve estimate has dropped by about three-quarters of a year because MnDOT's 15% local-share allowance for grant funding will now end in 2028 instead of 2029.
• The report excludes BRT figures because Mayo Clinic operating-agreement dollars need to be split among capital, replacement, and operating accounts. Projected budget dips in 2027 and 2028 reflect large bus purchases, with no vehicle procurements outlined after 2028.
• Bus purchase estimates are based on MnDOT's diesel replacement amount, which does not include electric bus costs; the agency applied for a Low-No grant for hybrid paratransit vehicles with a 15% local match.
• Ridership is below the level needed for solvency; the target presented was 1.3 ridership units. Revenue per ride is $1.75 against expenses per ride of $2.91. Mayo Clinic riders make up about 49% of fixed-route riders, compared with 48% last year and 23% in 2024.

ZIPS Update

• Devin Lihall, Mobility Coordinator, reported that Via became the ZIPS paratransit operator on September 1, 2026, following a competitive procurement. The previous operator contract ran for 10 years.
• ZIPS serves people unable to use fixed-route transit, typically due to disability or mobility needs. Applications require a care provider's sign-off; staff have 21 days to make a determination, and reviews typically take 3 to 4 business days.
• The fleet has 13 vehicles, including accessible minivans, small buses with wheelchair ramps, and electric vehicles, with a required 20% spare ratio.
• September performance: the on-time goal is 90% for both pickup and drop-off; the first week of October improved to 93% pickup on-time and 92% drop-off on-time. The service averages about 4,000 rides per month and averaged 192.5 riders per day in September.
• Rides per vehicle revenue hour reached 2.0 and are trending toward the contract target of 2.4. Overflow services (Handy Van/Med City Taxi) carried 13% of August rides and 0% in September.
• A new rider app provides vehicle tracking and arrival notifications. Staff stated that every paratransit rider was individually notified about the change. One member suggested a press release about the improvements; staff responded that they want to see consistent improvement before publicizing, to avoid advertising a temporary gain.
• The fare is $3 per trip, while the federal maximum allowed is $4. The program is near break-even but is expected to run a deficit of about $50,000. Operations are currently 85% grant-funded through MnDOT/FTA, shifting to 80% in 2028.
• Microtransit is included in the Via contract but has not yet been activated; it could be used later as a mixed service with fixed routes.

Transit Priorities: Frequency vs. Coverage Trade-off

• Staff presented an informational briefing on two service-design approaches: a ridership/frequency model concentrating buses on high-demand corridors such as Second Street SW and Broadway, and a coverage model spreading service across the city at lower frequencies, such as every 60 minutes.
• Staff emphasized that no decision was requested today; Rochester-specific options will be presented next year to the committee, city council, and public. Most cities use a blend, such as 70/30 or 80/20 ridership/coverage.
• The current system has 22 routes, and about 98% of the city is within half a mile of a transit stop. Low-frequency coverage routes can make trips impractical; one member noted that a bus trip could take up to two hours for a trip that would be a 15-minute drive.
• Microtransit was discussed as a potential hybrid tool: fixed routes on high-demand corridors plus on-demand zones for broader coverage, with paratransit riders prioritized and microtransit riders paying a premium.
• Staff compared Duluth, which runs 13 routes and has nearly 3 million annual riders; Duluth's ridership increased after reducing coverage and increasing frequency.

Other Business

• The committee was notified that Parker Acree resigned because his schedule no longer allowed him to serve. A motion to accept the resignation was made, seconded, and passed unanimously. Staff will contact the mayor's office about a new appointment.
• Staff announced that the North Broadway Park and Ride is temporarily relocating to the Transportation Center (RPT office) parking lot, about half a mile from the current site, while a new park-and-ride facility is built. The new facility is expected to be ready around March.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes and agenda order approved unanimously.
• Parker Acree's resignation accepted unanimously.
• The meeting adjourned unanimously (moved by Kenneth D. Baerg, seconded by Kristin E. Buchholz).
• No formal votes were taken on the transit report, ZIPS update, or frequency/coverage discussion; all three were informational items that will inform future decisions.