Antoinette Braddock, senior director of paratransit and specialized services at the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, told the Senior Citizens Advisory Board on Nov. 6 that RTC operates fixed‑route buses, a federally governed paratransit program and a set of senior‑focused services across the Las Vegas Valley.

Braddock said paratransit eligibility is based on a person’s ability to access fixed‑route service rather than age or a specific medical diagnosis. "It's not age related. It is really just based off of a person's ability to access our fixed route service," she said. Eligible riders may use paratransit anywhere inside the RTC service area, which Braddock said covers much of the valley from Henderson to the northern VA hospital area and in parts of Summerlin and Boulder City.

The agency operates paratransit 24 hours a day, seven days a week including holidays, and does not ask trip purpose. Braddock said the flat fare for trips booked through RTC is $3 per one‑way trip (round trip $6) and that the agency subsidizes the remainder for partnered on‑demand providers. "If a customer is getting a SilverRide ride with the RTC, then it would be $3," she said. She also described coupons and 22‑ and 46‑ride passes and said RTC plans an account‑based payment system and a new app in early 2026 to let customers load funds to an account.

Braddock described 13 Silver Star routes tailored to senior communities. Those looped routes, she said, typically run two days a week, stop at senior housing and essential destinations such as grocery stores and pharmacies, and charge a 50¢ fare; on some routes ADSD grant funding allows service by donation with no required fare.

RTC also partners with two vetted non‑dedicated, on‑demand providers — YouServe and SilverRide — to supply supplemental same‑day rides. Braddock said those vendors are more heavily screened than general ride‑hail services and that RTC customers must book through the RTC app or call center and opt into the program to pay the $3 RTC fare; fares may differ if customers book directly with the private vendor.

Board members pressed Braddock on scheduling and reliability for medical appointments. She described a 30‑minute pickup window — typically 25 minutes before to five minutes after the scheduled time — and said drivers will wait five minutes. Braddock advised riders to book with an arrival buffer for medical appointments and to tell the reservation agent they have an appointment so staff can try to minimize delays. She also said RTC will work to reassign a bus if a customer's listed pickup location appears incorrect rather than immediately recording a no‑show.

On the subject of accompaniment and animals, Braddock said personal care attendants registered on a customer’s eligibility record ride free; companions may travel but pay the $3 fare. Service animals are permitted consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, she said, and must not occupy a passenger seat.

Braddock described a point‑based no‑show and cancellation policy intended to discourage habitual missed trips while emphasizing the agency’s desire not to remove riders who depend on the service. She said the agency prefers riders cancel at least 24 hours in advance when feasible, but will work to accommodate missed returns — "we do not leave customers stranded," she said — although there may be a delay while staff reassign vehicles.

For customers who travel regularly to the same place and time, Braddock described a subscription service that guarantees recurring trips without repeated scheduling calls, a feature used by dialysis and some work or school riders. She also confirmed RTC offers temporary paratransit certification for short‑term needs such as post‑operative recovery or treatment.

Braddock said the agency does mobility training and community outreach at senior centers, dialysis clinics and other events, and noted that staff can reprint reduced‑fare ID cards by mail or in person; a new online reduced‑fare application process is available. She also cautioned that RTC is not planning expansion at this time and said budget pressures could force service cuts in the future; she identified service gaps in parts of Sun City Summerlin and some Henderson neighborhoods.

The board thanked Braddock and asked for follow‑up details on the call center number, point policy specifics and reduced‑fare reprint procedures. Braddock provided the certification phone number on the record as 702‑676‑1815 and offered to return with additional details.