START On-Demand Microtransit Services

START | On-Demand Microtransit RFP | Jackson, WY
SOUTHERN TETON AREA RAPID TRANSIT
Request for Proposals
START RFP 26-16
On-Demand Microtransit Services
Town of Jackson, Wyoming
KEY DATES
RFP Posted March 27, 2026
Questions Due April 7, 2026, 2:00 PM MST
Answers Posted April 13, 2026
Proposals Due April 27, 2026, 2:00 PM MST
SUBMISSION DETAILS
Submit To Michael Toronto, Transit Director
Address Town of Jackson, WY / P.O. Box 1687 / 150 Pearl Avenue / Jackson, WY
83001
Delivery Sealed envelope by FedEx, UPS, or hand delivery only
Download RFP http://townofjackson.com/Bids.aspx
Questions To Tate Coleman, tcoleman@jacksonwy.gov
Ann McClure, amcclure@jacksonwy.gov
START and the Town of Jackson reserve the right to reject any or all proposals, in whole or part, and to
waive any informalities.
Town of Jackson, Wyoming Page 1

START | On-Demand Microtransit RFP | Jackson, WY
1. Introduction
The Southern Teton Area Rapid Transit system ("START") is soliciting proposals from qualified
firms to continue and expand its existing on-demand microtransit service within the Town of
Jackson, Wyoming.
1.1 About Jackson and START
Jackson is a 2.95-square-mile resort community in Teton County with a year-round population
of approximately 11,000 (county: 23,000) and over 4 million annual visitors. The Town is
surrounded by Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, the Bridger-Teton National Forest,
and the National Elk Refuge.
START has provided public transit since 1987, beginning with skier shuttle service to Teton
Village. Today the system serves residents, workers, school-age children, and visitors with
fixed-route and paratransit service year-round. START also operates weekday commuter
routes from Star Valley, WY and Teton Valley, ID.
Despite this coverage, Jackson has a high rate of single-occupancy vehicle travel. START
currently operates a 15-minute-headway Town Shuttle and an on-demand microtransit service
("START On Demand") serving the core Downtown zone, with scheduled service to the Jackson
Branch Library and Albertson's at designated times of day. This RFP seeks a qualified operator
to continue and grow this existing service, with the potential to provide service to additional
locations within the Town as determined by START.
1.2 Current Service
The existing START On Demand service provides on-demand microtransit within the core
Downtown zone and time-of-day service to the Teton County Library (Jackson branch) and
Albertson's. The service area is shown in Exhibit 1. The selected Proposer will be expected to
maintain continuity of this existing service while working with START to optimize and
potentially expand it.
Service expansion. START may direct the selected Proposer to extend service to additional
locations within the Town limits as well as the South Park area over the contract period (see
Exhibit 1). Proposals should describe how the Proposer would plan for, implement, and price
incremental service-area expansions on a per-hour or per-zone basis.
1.3 Project Goals
START seeks a private-sector partner to:
1. Continue and optimize the existing on-demand microtransit service in the core
Downtown zone and to the Library and Albertson's, using real-time routing to provide
efficient shared rides for residents and visitors;
2. Maintain or exceed the current On Demand service level of 170,682 annual trips, with a
target of 200,000 trips within one year and growth each year after;
Town of Jackson, Wyoming Page 2

START | On-Demand Microtransit RFP | Jackson, WY
3. Complement (not cannibalize) START's fixed-route network by implementing
mode-preference logic that connects riders to fixed routes where practical;
4. Plan for and be prepared to extend service to additional areas within the Town as
directed by START; and
5. Support the Jackson/Teton County Integrated Transportation Plan by building a
foundation for county-wide multimodal mobility.
1.4 Community Objectives
Give residents a reliable alternative to driving for daily trips to work, shopping, schools,
and services.
Provide visitors with an affordable, convenient way to reach points of interest within
Town without a personal vehicle.
1.5 Definition
In this context, "Demand Responsive Transit" (DRT) means IT-enabled multi-passenger
transportation services that serve passengers using dynamically generated routing, and may
expect passengers to make their way to and from common pick-up or drop-off points. Vehicles
may include, but are not limited to, large sport utility vehicles, vans, and shuttle buses.
Town of Jackson, Wyoming Page 3

START | On-Demand Microtransit RFP | Jackson, WY
2. Service Requirements
The selected Proposer will continue to operate the existing pooled, on-demand rideshare
service and work with START to optimize and potentially expand it. The following
requirements define the minimum scope of service.
2.1 Service Area and Hours
Core service area: the Downtown zone as defined in Exhibit 1, with scheduled service
to the Teton County Library and Albertson's at designated times of day (see Exhibit 1 for
current time-of-day schedule).
Expansion areas: START may direct the Proposer to extend service to additional
locations within County limits during the contract period, including but not limited to
the South Park Loop area and other zones identified in Exhibit 1. Potential expansion
areas are shown on the Exhibit 1 map. Proposals must include a unit cost and lead time
for adding service zones or hours.
Hours of operation: 6:00 a.m. to midnight daily. Final hours to be confirmed with the
selected Proposer.
Target Level of Service (LOS): maximum 15-minute median wait time throughout
operating hours.
2.2 Booking and Customer Interface
1. Provide a smartphone app compatible with the last three major versions of iOS and
Android. The app is the primary booking tool and must be updated as new OS versions
are released.
2. Allow customers to reserve, modify, and cancel trips in advance through the app.
3. Provide a call center or equivalent phone-based booking option for riders without
smartphones. Proposals that include this capability will receive up to 2 additional points
(on the 1-5 scale) in the Technology and Platform evaluation category.
4. Provide automated ride-status notifications (call, text, or push) including: a reminder
when the vehicle is 5 minutes away, notification upon arrival, and follow-up for missed
pickups.
5. Provide a pre-booking option (24 hours to 7 days in advance) for seniors and ADA-eligible
riders, with guaranteed capacity. Pre-booked ADA trips are exempt from the pooling
requirements below and should be reported separately.
2.3 Dispatch and Routing Platform
START will place higher value on proposals that deploy a centralized, fully automated
platform capable of:
1. Receiving and processing all trip requests from the app and call center (if offered);
2. Validating each origin-destination pair against the service area and, for trips near a fixed
route (within 0.15 mile), redirecting riders to the nearest stop;
Town of Jackson, Wyoming Page 4

START | On-Demand Microtransit RFP | Jackson, WY
3. Identifying WAV requests and including additional buffer time for wheelchair/ADA
loading and unloading;
4. Dispatching the nearest suitable vehicle on the most efficient route while maintaining
the agreed LOS for all passengers aboard;
5. Routing around road closures, construction, and restricted areas;
6. Maximizing ride-pooling to minimize vehicle miles traveled and maximize occupancy;
7. Providing real-time ETA and vehicle-approach direction to the customer;
8. Integrating with the Transit trip-planning app and generating/maintaining a GTFS-Flex
feed. The Proposer must be integrated via SDK or API with the Transit Royale App, or
demonstrate the ability to complete equivalent integration within 60 days of contract
award;
9. Providing a post-trip interface for customer ratings, trip-purpose surveys, and
mode-shift questions; and
10. Exposing trip data to START via API, FTP, or equivalent.
2.4 Fixed-Route Integration
The service must complement, not duplicate, START's fixed-route network. Specific
requirements:
Implement mode-preference logic that prioritizes connections to fixed routes where
practical.
Support timed arrivals at Miller Park at least 2 minutes before each quarter-hour (:00,
:15, :30, :45) to connect with Teton Village and Town Shuttle departures. Target: 4
pooled rides per vehicle per departure. (4 is a goal, not a binding minimum. Explain in
your proposal if you would target more or fewer.)
2.5 Accessibility
All vehicles must be fully ADA-accessible, meeting or exceeding minimum federal
requirements to ensure equal access to all service features and scheduling options.
Develop and administer an ADA-compliant rider suspension policy for excessive no-shows
or late cancellations. START must approve this policy before implementation.
2.6 Gratuities
No form of tipping may be solicited, accepted, or referenced in any service material, app
interface, or vehicle signage.
Town of Jackson, Wyoming Page 5

START | On-Demand Microtransit RFP | Jackson, WY
3. Vehicle Requirements
1. Specify the fleet size sufficient to meet the proposed LOS at all times, including peak
demand periods.
2. All vehicles must be fully ADA accessible and meet identical functional, safety, and
passenger-capacity specifications. A uniform make and model is preferred but not
required, provided the fleet presents a consistent branded appearance. START does not
prescribe brand or fuel type but will give preference to fuel-efficient vehicles.
3. Describe plans for scaling the fleet temporarily for large events or other surges,
including spare ratio and lead time for additional vehicles.
4. Provide a vehicle storage plan, including EV charging needs if applicable. START can
offer a lease for one office, vehicle parking, and detailing space on START property.
5. Equip all vehicles with connectivity, hardware, and software necessary to receive
dispatches, pick-up/drop-off assignments, and GPS tracking in real time. All drivers must
be trained on these tools before providing service.
6. Vehicles must be fully wrapped in a START-approved branded design. No exterior
advertising allowed. Interior advertising (including via tablets) may be permitted to
offset costs and must be detailed in the pricing proposal (Section 6.6).
7. Include WAV-capable vehicles sufficient to meet target LOS by making the entire fleet
fully ADA accessible.
8. Since FTA funds are used, all vehicles must comply with Buy America requirements under
49 U.S.C. 5323(j). Proposers must certify Buy America compliance or identify any
applicable waivers.
Town of Jackson, Wyoming Page 6

START | On-Demand Microtransit RFP | Jackson, WY
4. Driver Requirements
1. All drivers must be direct employees of the Proposer. No independent contractors. This
requirement ensures consistent training standards, drug and alcohol testing compliance
under FTA regulations, and direct accountability for ADA service quality and safety in a
mountain driving environment.
2. Maintain staffing sufficient to meet the defined LOS, including peak demand. The
shoulder-season minimum must consist entirely of full-time, benefitted drivers (e.g., if
the shoulder season requires 320 weekly hours/8 FTE, employ at least 8 year-round
full-time drivers).
3. Drivers must hold a valid license appropriate for the vehicle type.
4. Provide dedicated tablets or equivalent devices for all drivers. Personal devices are not
permitted for service operations.
5. Collaborate with START to develop a comprehensive training program covering ADA
sensitivity, customer service, safety procedures, emergency response, winter and
mountain driving conditions, and START system knowledge (including fixed-route
cross-promotion).
6. Maintain a high standard of professionalism at all times, including a uniform such as a
branded vest or polo shirt. Personal cellphone use while driving is prohibited under Town
ordinance.
7. Outline policies on: (i) customer service and ADA training, (ii) complaint handling, (iii)
progressive discipline, (iv) drug and alcohol testing, and (v) background checks.
Town of Jackson, Wyoming Page 7

START | On-Demand Microtransit RFP | Jackson, WY
5. Data and Reporting
All data generated by this program is owned by START. The Proposer must provide monthly
reports and real-time dashboard access covering, at minimum, the items below.
5.1 Operational Metrics
Number of vehicles in service each day.
Total riders, broken out by new vs. returning customers.
Booking channel breakdown (app, phone, other) by percentage.
Payment method breakdown (credit/debit, in-app, cash, etc.) by percentage.
Ridership by service zone or specified sub-zones.
Average weekday, Saturday, and Sunday boardings.
Detailed vehicle-miles report showing cost per mile, cost per hour, passengers per hour,
and passengers per mile.
5.2 On-Time Performance
Metrics on on-time, late and excessively late arrivals, including magnitude.
Data fields: pick-up location, time of day, day of week, pick-up time, dispatch time,
drop-off time.
All data must be in an exportable format sortable by time, location, day, and degree of
tardiness or punctuality.
5.3 Trip Tracking
Track and report the disposition of every trip request:
Completed trips.
Trips offered but declined by rider (include estimated wait time shown).
Trips outside the service area (ineligible).
Customer no-shows and driver no-shows.
Late cancellations (less than 5 minutes before scheduled departure).
This data must be reported monthly and available in real time to START staff.
5.4 Rider Analytics
Dynamic origin/destination pair analysis (updated weekly) to identify major trip
generators.
Cancellation and wait-time trends and their effect on rider retention.
5.5 Complaints and Incident Reports
Monthly count and summary of verbal complaints.
Town of Jackson, Wyoming Page 8

START | On-Demand Microtransit RFP | Jackson, WY
Copies of all written complaints, law enforcement reports, and filings with state or
federal transportation agencies.
5.6 Dashboard
Provide a self-service dashboard with real-time trip and performance data for at least three
START staff (transit planner, operations manager, transit director). The dashboard must
provide information about most or all reporting requirements specified in Section 5, including
ridership, wait times, trip denials, O-D flows, and service reliability KPIs.
Some use cases are detailed below:
Use Case Description
Customer requests a trip. The origin and/or The system should respond by telling the
destination are not in the service area. customer the origin and/or destination are
not in the service area, but notifying them
they can walk to a point in the service area
and be dropped off at the boundary of the
service area near their destination. If the
limitation is time-bound, the application
should offer the customer a future
departure time for the trip (e.g. 7:12 pm
pick up with anticipated 7:26 pm drop off).
Based on the customers' response, the trip
request should be logged in the database as
either: 1) Invalid trip request (based on
parameters above 2) Offered (but not
accepted by customer 3) Booked (customer
reserved the trip but has not yet completed
it, or 4) Completed - if the customer
completes the trip.
Customer requests a trip where the origin The system should respond by notifying the
and destination are within .15 mile of a customer that their origin and destination
START fixed route are within .15 mile of a START fixed route.
The app could then redirect them to walk to
the departure stop and use the fixed route.
Must be able to batch at least 4 pooled trips System must be capable of evaluating all
trip requests within a time horizon and
bundling
Town of Jackson, Wyoming Page 9

START | On-Demand Microtransit RFP | Jackson, WY
1. At least 4 trips for drop-offs at Miller
Park checkpoints
1. Pool trips where customers can
board at 4 unique origins and alight
at 4 unique destinations while
meeting the Level of Service for
each trip
Town of Jackson, Wyoming Page 10