Allen's appointment-based ride service for older residents and people with disabilities would keep running through September 2029 under an agreement the City Council takes up Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The consent agenda item would extend the city's interlocal agreement with the Denton County Transportation Authority, which has operated the service since February 2024. The extension runs from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2029, with an option for one more two-year term.
The cost
According to the staff memo, spending would be capped at $315,732 in fiscal 2027, $226,374 in fiscal 2028 and $274,367 in fiscal 2029, about $816,000 over three years. The memo says the yearly cost changes with available federal grants and expected ridership.
The amendment also switches the federal grant money behind the service from grants held by the North Central Texas Council of Governments to grants held by DCTA.
The staff contact on the item is Jason Cooley, executive director of the Allen Community Development Corp., and staff recommends approval.
How the service got here
Allen paid for a similar program through Dallas Area Rapid Transit starting in 2016, according to the memo. DART told the city in October 2023 that it would end the service on Jan. 31, 2024, and the regional council of governments asked DCTA to pick it up. The memo says DCTA agreed with the understanding that Allen would consider joining DCTA in the future.
