The Frisco City Council took no action Sept. 2 on possible transit services for the city. Rather, the council asked city staff to explore a new contract with the Texoma Area Paratransit System.

The city is specifically looking for transportation options with demand response service for the elderly or disabled.

Frisco has been exploring public transit options after the Collin County Area Regional Transit stopped service in the county last year. Since then, the North Central Texas Council of Governments has contracted with TAPS to provide temporary service to the county.

SPAN, Inc. services the Denton County side of Frisco, but that service will likely end in a year unless the city provides local funding to continue the service.

City staff presented the council with six possible options to consider, but most of the council preferred the fifth option. The options were:

  1. Take no action and adopt a free market approach to public transportation: With this option, transportation-for-hire services would provide transit and the city would not regulate services.
  2. City owned and operated transit: The city would create its own transit system with an estimated start up cost of $140,000.
  3. Transportation voucher program: The city would reimburse for half of fares for qualified transportation services, costing about $127,000 for reimbursements and one full-time employee.
  4. Contract with a regional-based transit authority: The city could contract with the Denton County Transit Authority or Dallas Area Rapid Transit for an initial estimated cost of $350,000.
  5. Enter into a limited-term agreement with TAPS with a review from Social Services and Housing Board: The city would continue demand response service with TAPS for Collin and Denton County residents in Frisco. Then, the city would ask Social Services and the Housing Board to review transportation options and make a recommendation for the future. This would cost the city between $120,000 and $150,000.
  6. Enter into a limited-term agreement with TAPS with a review from a special advisory committee: This is the same as the previous option, except the city would create a broad based committee to review transportation options.

Councilman Jeff Cheney also wanted the staff to look into a public/private partnership with a smart phone transit service such as Uber.

The next city council meeting is Sept. 16.