Microtransit Struggles: Ridership Declines as Per-Ride Costs Plummet Below $100

The city of Sedona has reported its annual statistics for the trailhead shuttle system, revealing a stable utilization rate. In 2024, the number of boardings reached 342,575, marking a modest increase of 2.4% from 2023’s 334,481 trips.

While the trailhead shuttles are holding steady, interest in the microtransit system has seen a decline. In its fourth month of operation, ridership fell approximately 10%, especially during the typically busy months of October to December. Costs per passenger have decreased, now falling below $100.

Microtransit

In the last week of August through September, the microtransit shuttles accommodated 825 passengers. This figure contrasts with ridership in subsequent months: 1,054 in October, 1,019 in November, and 952 in December, totaling 3,850 passengers during that period. The highest usage occurred on December 28, with 177 passengers, while December 21 experienced a low of just 18 passengers. Daily averages hovered around 62 in October, falling to 50 by December.

Former Transit Administrator Robert Weber estimated that the annual operational cost of the microtransit system is around $1.1 million. This translates to $21,154 each service weekend and an average cost of $98.90 per passenger over 18 weekends through the end of 2024.

From October to December, the system documented 540 rides in October, 547 in November, and 476 in December. In total, 1,563 rides were completed, averaging 1.9 passengers per trip. This is a slight increase compared to an average of 1.7 passengers in previous months. In addition, 168 bookings were canceled, and 24 trips had no-show passengers. On average, there were 27.9 rides per service day from October to December, an increase from 22.9 in September.

During this quarter, microtransit shuttles traveled a total of 10,148 miles. The monthly breakdown included 3,486 miles in October, 3,523 in November, and 3,139 in December. Overall, the system has covered 13,513 miles since its inception, averaging 6.6 miles per ride. On-time performance was commendable at 87% in October but dropped slightly to 83% in December.

Data showed that 46% of rides were booked through the system’s smartphone app, down from 54% in the previous months, while walk-up usage remained stable at 10%. Popular pickup locations included the Church of the Red Rocks and Whole Foods, reflecting passenger preferences.

Trailhead Shuttles

Average daily boardings for the trailhead shuttle system were reported across several months: 1,255 in January, peaking at 1,953 in April, and dropping to 649 in July. Averages for February, March, August, November, and December were notably higher than those in 2023, while April, June, September, and October saw reductions.

For the period from May to December 2024, the route data revealed that 12.5% of boardings were on the number 11 Dry Creek route, while 61.9% were on the number 15 Cathedral Rock route. However, on-time performance across the board declined, illustrating challenges in service reliability throughout the year.

The city’s transit budget for fiscal year 2024 was set at $3,063,320. Notably, the shuttle system managed to log 348,674 boardings, brought down to an average cost of $8.79 per boarding, or $17.58 for round-trip passengers.