PUBLIC TRANSIT

In 1999, leaders throughout the Yuma region supported the creation of a locally-funded Demand Response Transit System, or Dial-A-Ride (DAR), on a trial basis. In February 1999, the YMPO began administering the Greater Yuma DAR service, serving the Yuma Urban area and surrounding communities. By April 2000, over 190 trips a day were being provided to seniors and persons with disabilities.

After one year of operations, it was determined that the DAR service was not being utilized sufficiently in the San Luis and Somerton areas. The Yuma County Board of Supervisors and the Cities of San Luis and Somerton requested that YMPO provide a trial fixed-route bus route service to serve these areas. This service was called Yuma County Area Transit, or YCAT.

In September 2001, a fixed-route transit service was created, linking San Luis and Yuma. A second route, from central Yuma to the Foothills, was introduced in October 2001. Unfortunately, ridership was not considered high enough to justify the cost, and the system was routed to terminate at the Arizona Western College. Shortly thereafter, The Cocopah Tribal Brown route was introduced, providing services for the West and East reservation and the casino for tribal members.

By October of 2004, YCAT services consisted of the Yellow South & North routes, the Cocopah Brown route, and the Yuma City Central Circulator Red and the Blue routes. The Green route was added in February 2005.

In 2007, the Cocopah requested the Brown name be change to Gray and in 2008 the Cocopah was able to use a grant provided by the government through the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office, and requested assistance from YMPO to set up a route serving the Cocopah North Reservation area. The Purple route was added to the YCAT system serving Cocopah North reservation and part of the West end area of the City of Yuma.

In January 2007, the Wellton Orange Route was initiated as a pilot project; bringing the total number of YCAT bus routes to seven; with services operating Monday through Saturday.

Demand-response and fixed-route services are administered by YMPO; who owns all vehicles used in the operation of services. In addition, YMPO now received federal funding for vehicle and operational expenses. Dial-A- Ride now provides over 2,000 trips per month. The YCAT service provides over 30,000 per month.

In August 2010, the Yuma City Council voted to end all financial support of YCAT and DAR services. The YMPO Transit Board voted to suspend, until further notice, the Red and Blue bus routes and DAR services in the City of Yuma outside of the ¾ miles radius of any fixed route.