A Via ride-share vehicle is parked in front of West Sacramento Town Hall. Photo courtesy of the City of West Sacramento

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - City officials extended a three-year ride-share program contract with Nomad Transit LLC on June 5.

West Sacramento's senior transportation planner and project manager Stephanie Chhan recalled the May 15 Workshop on the Budget Continuation of the West Sacramento On-Demand Ride-share Program, a turnkey service available through an app.

 Senior transportation planner and project manager Stephanie Chhan recalled the May 15 workshop. Photo by Angela Underwood

Before officials adopted the three-year term totaling $10,036,950, Mayor Martha Guerrero thanked Chhan for the thorough May presentation that detailed the May 2018 ride-share program launch and contract to Nomad Transit LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Via Transportation, Inc.

Resident Larry Langford has been driving with Via for more than two years.

"Via is one of the best things West Sacramento has ever done for its people,” Langford said, adding that a vast majority of riders he has recently encountered are upset.

Why?

"Because the weekly pass that was available is no longer on the app," Langford said. "I know that staff tells you that it only affects five to 10 percent of the people but they have their numbers wrong because it's more like 95 percent of the people cannot access that pass."

 Resident Larry Langford, who drives for Via Ride-Share, asks officials to keep the $15 weekly pass rate, allowing riders up to four transfers daily. Photo by Angela Underwood

Langford explained Via rates, detailing the $3.50 per ride cost or $1.75 for seniors or the weekly pass for $15 at four rides daily. 

"The vast majority of riders we have are students, elderly people, disabled people, lower-income people, and if you excuse the expression, blue-collar workers, not white-collar workers," Langford said, adding the $15 weekly pass should remain.

Resident Danielle Langford admitted she once doubted Via but not now.

 Danielle Langford, formerly against the Via Ride-Share program, sees the prorgram’s benefits and asks officials to maintain it for another three years at reasonable rates. Photo by Angela Underwood

"I was against it 100%," Langford said, raising her hand to testify. "Then I got to know people who actually use it."

She cited her friend, who was legally blind, using the service when her husband was out of town.

"I encourage you as well to leave it," Langford said.

Chhan confirmed the weekly pass rate will remain, regardless of the technical issues with the app.

"The contract will remain the same," Chhan said. "If we were to adjust any fares, that is a policy decision that must go through the City Council."

Before awarding the three-year contract, a seven-member multidisciplinary evaluation panel reviewed three proposals from Nomad Transit LLC, RTW Management Inc. and Tower Wav LLC. According to the staff report, the pricing proposal considers a three-percent annual increase in line with the consumer price index, with Nomad's pricing proposal broken down into three fiscal years.

The proposal includes $3,247,258 for Fiscal Year 2024-25, $3,344,676 for Fiscal Year 2025-26 and $3,445,016 for Fiscal Year 2026-27.

In May, city officials had concerns over expanding the service into downtown Sacramento, according to a staff member citing "potential funding shortfalls requiring service area expansions to revert to prior levels, retaining tax dollars within West Sacramento, and possible impacts on service availability within West Sacramento."

City officials were specifically concerned about expanded service to Kaiser Medical Offices, the Sacramento Valley Station, Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) transit connections, and state employment centers. However, based on the staff report, "rides must start or end in West Sacramento to certify the ride's association with the city.”

Since its inception, the rideshare program has provided 824,290 rides, including 142,940 in 2024. If West Sacramento is awarded funding in the future, the staff report notes a downtown Sacramento pick-up and drop-off location pilot program might be possible.