Moab - Arches Shuttle Service

Grand County, Utah is requesting proposals for a fare-free shuttle service connecting Moab and Arches National Park under a Cooperative Management Agreement between Grand County and the National Park Service, with proposals due July 2, 2026 at 2:00 PM Mountain Time. This is a one-year pilot program operating for approximately six months in each of two seasons (September 1 through October 31, 2026, and March 1 through June 30, 2027) to gather data on congestion mitigation, safety, and visitor experience.

The scope requires turnkey operations including transit vehicles, qualified drivers and mechanics, staging and maintenance facilities, dispatching and day-to-day management, real-time data capture and monthly reporting, daily cleaning and preventive maintenance, insurance, marketing, and non-scheduled trips for special events. Service operates seven days per week, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with two route segments: a Moab Route connecting designated Moab stops to the Arches Visitor Center (30-minute headway) and an Arches In-Park Route serving the Delicate Arch Trailhead, Windows Viewpoint, and Panorama Point (15-minute headway). Mandatory technical requirements include satellite-based broadband connectivity in all vehicles, potable-water refill stations, a custom-branded rider technology platform with real-time vehicle tracking and passenger feedback, GTFS data publication for NPS and state tourism integration, and ADA compliance. Drivers must meet federal transit qualification and drug-and-alcohol testing standards. The operator must obtain minimum insurance of $1,000,000 commercial general liability and $5,000,000 automobile liability and adhere to Service Contract Labor Standards wage determinations.

The not-to-exceed price for the one-year pilot is $2.86 million. Proposers must itemize one-time upfront costs separately from ongoing operational costs and provide per-vehicle hourly rates to enable service adjustments without renegotiating unit rates. Evaluation criteria are firm qualifications and transit operations experience (20 percent), technical and operational approach (30 percent), mobilization readiness (15 percent), service flexibility and pilot support (10 percent), value-added services (10 percent), and price and pricing structure (15 percent). Award is anticipated July 8, 2026, following Grand County Commission action on July 7. Proposers may optionally express interest in a future Transportation Liaison services procurement, which will offer preference and additional evaluation points.