START transit reports record ridership, flags vehicle cost and on-demand capacity challenges
January 27, 2025 | Teton County, Wyoming
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START transit staff reported that the agency carried 1,035,000 passengers in calendar year 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic ridership levels, and briefed commissioners on operational and capital pressures tied to ridership growth.
Bruce Abel, START’s transit director, told the Board of County Commissioners that 2024 ridership exceeded the pre-COVID high and that Town Shuttle and Village Services were major contributors to the increase. He asked commissioners to save Monday, Feb. 10 for a brief banner unfurling at START’s facility recognizing achievement of the one-million-rider mark.
Abel said on-demand ridership fell 3% from 2023 to 2024 after a period of robust growth, and the system is experiencing increased wait times during peak periods. START is discussing short-term operational fixes with its on-demand provider, including the possibility of inserting a fixed route vehicle at the absolute peak to serve major origin-destination pairs.
On the capital side, Abel told the board vehicle acquisition costs have risen sharply: six commuter coaches purchased in 2022 cost about $715,000 each; similar vehicles now cost about $870,000 each. START has included electric-bus purchases in its budget via federal programs (Low-No and BUILD), but Abel said the agency may propose grant changes to pursue hybrid-electric buses given industry challenges with electric buses and the county’s experience of having multiple electric buses out of service for extended periods.
Abel said START has introduced performance KPIs (on-time performance, preventable accidents, complaints) and saw improvements across those measures between 2023 and 2024. He said winter service at the airport is in its second year as a pilot and average daily ridership at the airport route is up about 5%.
Commissioner Gardiner asked whether recent bus purchases use the Washington State cooperative procurement price; Abel confirmed that the purchases used the Washington State bus cooperative. Gardiner and Abel also discussed integrating the on-demand and START fare/payment systems in the future; Abel said the integration is technologically feasible but has not yet been prioritized.
Bruce Abel, START’s transit director, told the Board of County Commissioners that 2024 ridership exceeded the pre-COVID high and that Town Shuttle and Village Services were major contributors to the increase. He asked commissioners to save Monday, Feb. 10 for a brief banner unfurling at START’s facility recognizing achievement of the one-million-rider mark.
Abel said on-demand ridership fell 3% from 2023 to 2024 after a period of robust growth, and the system is experiencing increased wait times during peak periods. START is discussing short-term operational fixes with its on-demand provider, including the possibility of inserting a fixed route vehicle at the absolute peak to serve major origin-destination pairs.
On the capital side, Abel told the board vehicle acquisition costs have risen sharply: six commuter coaches purchased in 2022 cost about $715,000 each; similar vehicles now cost about $870,000 each. START has included electric-bus purchases in its budget via federal programs (Low-No and BUILD), but Abel said the agency may propose grant changes to pursue hybrid-electric buses given industry challenges with electric buses and the county’s experience of having multiple electric buses out of service for extended periods.
Abel said START has introduced performance KPIs (on-time performance, preventable accidents, complaints) and saw improvements across those measures between 2023 and 2024. He said winter service at the airport is in its second year as a pilot and average daily ridership at the airport route is up about 5%.
Commissioner Gardiner asked whether recent bus purchases use the Washington State cooperative procurement price; Abel confirmed that the purchases used the Washington State bus cooperative. Gardiner and Abel also discussed integrating the on-demand and START fare/payment systems in the future; Abel said the integration is technologically feasible but has not yet been prioritized.
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