NEW ROCHELLE, NY (June 16, 2026) — The City of New Rochelle has released a request for proposals due July 22 seeking a new operator for its micro-transit service, along with an addendum, operational metrics and responses to questions submitted by prospective bidders.
RFP-DV-2026-021 – Micro-Transit-Service
RFP-DV-2026-021 Exhibit F – Metrics
RFP-DV-2026-021 QA Response 20260616
Taken together, the documents provide the most detailed public look yet at the City’s free ride-sharing program. They also leave unanswered questions about cost, performance standards, accessibility and the future direction of the service.
The proposed agreement would run for five years, with options to extend it. The City describes the procurement as an effort to continue and enhance the existing service. However, the documents do not specify a budget, a contract value, performance targets or what improvements the City expects from the next operator.
One of the most significant disclosures appears in the City’s responses to bidder questions. According to the City, approximately $1.3 million was spent on the current service during the last two years.
The City did not provide an annual budget, funding target or not-to-exceed amount for the new contract. Prospective vendors repeatedly requested budget information and were told the City had not established a fixed budget or contract value.
The City also stated that it has not established specific KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators.
In government contracting, KPIs are the measurable standards used to determine whether a program is meeting its objectives. They can include metrics such as average wait times, customer satisfaction, ride completion rates and cost per ride.
At the same time, the City released detailed operational metrics showing demand, completed rides, average wait times, customer ratings and ride requests that exceeded available capacity.
The issue of capacity may be among the most significant questions raised by the procurement documents.
In response to bidder questions, the City stated that there are “no specific challenges to address.”
Yet the operational data released by the City includes repeated references to ride requests exceeding available capacity. On numerous days, the reports show hundreds of ride requests categorized as over capacity, with some days approaching 400 requests.
The documents do not explain how many riders were ultimately unable to obtain service, whether those requests were fulfilled at a later time, or whether expanding capacity is a goal of the new contract.
That leaves unanswered whether the City views those over-capacity figures as evidence of unmet demand, a routine operational condition, or something else entirely.
The procurement documents also provide no indication that reducing over-capacity requests, shortening wait times or increasing the number of completed trips will be used to evaluate the success of the next operator.
The City tracks all of those metrics, but the procurement documents do not establish target levels for any of them.
Accessibility is another area where questions remain.
The City does not require bidders to provide a specific percentage of wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Instead, the procurement states that accessible vehicles are encouraged and will be viewed favorably during the evaluation process.
The operational metrics include a category labeled WAV rides, shorthand for wheelchair-accessible vehicle rides. The reports show zero WAV rides during the reporting period included in the procurement documents.
The documents do not explain whether that reflects a lack of requests, a reporting issue or some other circumstance.
The service area also raises questions.
According to the City’s responses to bidder questions, trips will be restricted to destinations within New Rochelle.
That restriction may affect residents who live near the city’s borders and regularly use Metro-North stations outside New Rochelle, including stations in Pelham, Larchmont and Tuckahoe.
The procurement documents do not explain why trips to nearby stations outside city limits would be excluded.
Throughout the procurement, the City states that it wants to continue and enhance the existing service.
The documents do not define what enhancement means or identify specific improvements the City expects the successful bidder to deliver.
Instead, prospective vendors are largely being asked to recommend fleet sizes, vehicle types, operating strategies and service approaches.
As a result, several questions remain unanswered:
- How much is the City prepared to spend on the service over the next five years?
- What performance standards will be used to evaluate the contractor?
- How many ride requests go unserved each year?
- Does the City intend to expand capacity if demand exceeds available vehicles?
- Why is there no minimum requirement for wheelchair-accessible vehicles?
- How are riders who require wheelchair-accessible transportation currently being served?
- Why are trips restricted to destinations within New Rochelle?
- What specific improvements does the City expect from the next operator?
- What outcome would lead the City to conclude that the program has been successful at the end of the contract term?
The procurement documents provide new insight into how New Rochelle’s micro-transit program operates. They also leave open fundamental questions about cost, performance and long-term goals as the City seeks proposals for its next multi-year contract.
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This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.
Have information about this story? Email robertcox@talkofthesound (preferred) or contact via WhatsApp: +353 089 972 0669.