FY 26 Budget Q&A #035: Can staff provide a breakdown on the cost of the DOT Paratransit program, numbers of residents served or delivered, costs per ride and any other readily available service metrics for the program.

Page updated on March 26, 2025 at 1:39 PM
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Question: Can staff provide a breakdown on the cost of the DOT Paratransit program, numbers of residents served or delivered, costs per ride (in terms of city subsidy versus passenger payment) and any other readily available service metrics for the program. (Vice Mayor Bagley)

Response: 

Paratransit Program Costs

Numbers of residents served or delivered 

  • FY 2024: 504 individual riders 

  • FY 2025: 429 individual riders year-to-date 

Average number of trips taken by an individual rider 

  • FY 2024: 83 

  • FY 2025: 106 

Costs per ride 

Fares: 

  • Fare free zone – entire City and some parts outside the City within ¾ mile of a DASH bus route; Pentagon 

  • $4 zone – outside fare free zone, but within 5 miles of the City  

  • $6 zone – more than 5 miles from the City; DC 

 FY 2024: 

  • Cost per trip: $58.10* 

  • Average rider fare per trip: $0.92 

  • Average City subsidy per trip: $57.18 

FY 2025 (thru Feb):  

  • Cost per trip: $57.88* 

  • Average rider fare per trip: $1.29 

  • Average city subsidy per trip: $56.59 

*Includes transportation cost, call center cost, and software cost 

  

Total Trips 

  • FY 2024:  

    • 34,974 total trips 

      • Free:     23,338 trips (67%) 

      • $4:           7,540 trips (22%) 

      • $6:           4,101 trips (11%) 

    • 2,915 trips per month 

  • FY 2025 (thru Feb):  

    • 25,164 trips  

      • Free:     17,312 trips (69%) 

      • $4:        4,690 trips (19%) 

      • $6:        3,162 trips (12%) 

    • 3,145 trips per month 

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