By Jason Crane
The Aurora City Council is considering a Resolution to approve GoGo Grandparent as the replacement contractor for the City of Aurora Ride Solution (CARS) Program through December 31, 2025, utilizing the remaining budgeted funding, not to exceed $100,000.00.
City government of Aurora documents show the change is necessary due to the current contractor, On-The-Go, terminating its call center operations and withdrawing from service provision under the program.
The City of Aurora Ride Solution (CARS) Transportation Program has been providing supplemental transportation services since July 2023, initially launched as a six-month pilot initiative.
Administered by the Seniors and Disabilities Services Division, the program was created in response to the growing unmet transportation needs of older adults and individuals living with disabilities.
Through a third-party contractor, CARS provides curb-to-curb rideshare and door-to-door accessible transportation, while in addition, coordinating dispatch and monitoring ride completion to ensure a seamless experience for program participants.
Eligible destinations include medical appointments, employment or educational sites, grocery and shopping locations, wellness/nutrition services, and social events.
Each participant may schedule up to 10 one-way rides (5 round trips) per month, helping ensure consistent and equitable access to essential services and community engagement opportunities.
Through community engagement, the Division identified that many existing transportation programs operated by local organizations were unable to meet demand due to a range of challenges, including limited service areas restricted by county boundaries, shortages of volunteer drivers, affordability concerns, and issues with service reliability.
To address these gaps, the Seniors and Disabilities Services Division launched the CARS program in partnership with a few community organizations: Seniors Services Associates, VNA Health, Association for Individual Development and Weston Bridges. This collaboration enabled the City to provide supplemental transportation services for eligible residents who could not be accommodated by the existing transportation options.
Local organizations and advocates serving older adults and individuals with disabilities in Aurora continue to face increasing demand for transportation support. With a projected 32% growth in the aging population over the next five years, the City anticipates that this transportation gap will intensify, potentially reaching crisis levels.
As the CARS program enters its second full year in 2025, it continues to operate under a partner referral model, intentionally designed to avoid duplication of services and to align ride requests with available funding. While this approach has supported collaboration with program partners and promoted long-term sustainability, it has also limited broader citywide promotion and general access in order to prevent demand from exceeding service capacity.
In the interim, while transitioning to GoGo Grandparent as the proposed contractor for the remainder of 2025, it is important to note that City staff revisited Ride X Corp, one of the original respondents to the 2023 RFP. Upon review, Ride X’s cost projections remained higher than those offered by GoGo Grandparent, affirming GoGo Grandparent as the more fiscally responsible choice for this transition phase of the program.
To establish a long-term service provider, the City will issue a new Request for Proposal in Fall 2025 to secure a contractor to begin services in January 2026. This forthcoming procurement, like the previous one, will not be subject to the City’s local preference ordinance as it will be structured as a Request for Proposal (RFP).
The remaining approved funding for the CARS program in 2025 will support services provided by GoGo Grandparent through December 31, 2025, ensuring only a slight interruption of access to transportation for eligible residents
With more than 30,000 residents over the age of 60, the city of Aurora is witnessing a steady increase in its senior population each year. Demographic projections indicate that by 2029 to 2030, the number of residents aged 60 and older will surpass those under the age of 18, marking a significant generational shift within the City.
This projected crossover highlights the urgent need to proactively plan for an aging society. Key areas of focus will include transportation, eldercare, accessible housing, retirement support, and age-friendly infrastructure-all essential to ensuring older adults can continue to live independently and with dignity.
The supplemental transportation program, CARS, administered by the Seniors and Disabilities Services Division is a direct response to this need. By providing reliable rides to medical appointments, grocery stores, and other essential destinations, the program enhances the quality of life for older residents and supports their ability to age in place, preserving both their independence and legacy within the community.
•Mayor John Laesch has proclaimed June 19 as “Juneteenth Day of Observance” in the City of Aurora.
Laesch made the proclamation at Tuesday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting, touting the City’s status as a cultural trailblazer, as the City Council approved Juneteenth as an official City holiday on February 8, 2022.
The City’s African American Heritage Advisory Board, along with the African American Men of Unity and its Executive Director, Ricky Rodgers, were also honored in the proclamation for their ability to protect and promote Black culture.
“Ricky Rodgers has been a very active member of our community and a pioneer long before it was popular to recognize Juneteenth, holding an event here in the City of Aurora, bringing out youth, and empowering youth here in our community,” Mayor Laesch said.
The proclamation also reads, in part, that “on Juneteenth, we honor the generations of local ancestors who advanced the movement, paved the way, and built a strong foundation for us to stand upon.”
The City of Aurora will be closed on Juneteenth to honor the holiday and commemorate the official end of slavery in the United States.