A Conversation With CEO Frank Bruno

Accessibility, Microtransit, and What It Means for Riders Rebuilding Their Independence

There are conversations that feel formal, structured, and scheduled — and then there are conversations that simply happen because two people recognize something familiar in each other. My conversation with CEO Frank Bruno was the second kind — open, human, and unexpectedly personal.

From the moment we sat down, there was an immediate understanding, a kind of unspoken recognition that we were coming to this discussion from similar places, even if our paths had been different.

I come to this conversation as a stroke survivor — someone who spent months in hospitals relearning how to walk, how to navigate daily life, and how to rebuild independence one careful step at a time.

For a long stretch, I couldn’t leave those hospitals until I could safely get on and off a vehicle to reach physical and occupational therapy. When I finally could, my driver and soon close friend Mike became part of my recovery. He didn’t just take me to appointments; he walked with me, steadied me, and made sure I got where I needed to go. That kind of support stays with you.

Frank comes to this conversation from his own lived experience. He leads an organization, yes — but he also understands what it means to face challenges every day, physically, mentally, and emotionally. He knows what it takes to push through, to adapt, to keep moving. And because of that, he understands the people his organization serves in a way that goes beyond policy or operations. He gets it in a way that only someone who has lived through their own challenges can.

That shared understanding — the lived experience of needing help, of rebuilding, of fighting your way back — shaped every part of our conversation. This wasn’t just a Q&A about a new microtransit program. It was two people who have walked hard roads talking about what it means to create services that genuinely support others on their own journeys.

Here’s what Frank shared during our conversation.

Q&A WITH CEO FRANK BRUNO

Q: Frank, this new program feels monumental for so many people. When I visited, I saw several vehicles — are these the same types being used for the pilot? And how accessible is the fleet across the service areas?

Frank: “Yeah, the answer is yes.”

Nearly the entire fleet is accessible. Most vehicles have lifts or ramps, and only a very small number do not. Across Via’s core service area — Denver (City and County), Adams County, Jefferson County, and Arapahoe County — riders can reliably access wheelchair‑accessible vehicles with ramps, lifts, and space for mobility aids.

Via also operates in specific portions of:

• Parker (near the Costco area)

• Highlands Ranch (north of C‑470)

• Lone Tree (primarily serving the Kaiser facility)

The Lone Tree Link, however, is operated by the NYC‑based Via, not Frank’s organization.

Accessibility is standard across nearly every service they operate.

Q: What about driver training? Do drivers receive training on assisting disabled riders, including stroke survivors or people with mobility limitations?

Frank: “Unequivocally, yes.”

Drivers complete three weeks of training, including:

• Classroom instruction

• Hands‑on wheelchair securement

• Disability‑awareness training

• Recognizing when a rider may need help or when something seems medically off

Drivers often become the first to notice changes in a rider’s condition and are trained to alert caregivers when something doesn’t seem right — not to diagnose, but to observe.

Q: How does the system handle riders who need extra time to board, exit, or communicate? Is there a way to flag this so riders aren’t rushed?

This is one of the core differences between Via’s service and traditional paratransit.

Frank: “We never rush people… we made that decision years ago.”

Via provides through‑door service, not curb‑to‑curb. Riders can tell dispatch they need extra time, and drivers will accommodate.

Survey data showed that 80% of riders strongly prefer or need through‑door service, which is why it’s standard.

He also appreciated my habit of booking early and said it’s a practice they may recommend to others.

Q: How long are typical wait times? And are riders with mobility challenges prioritized during peak hours?

Frank was clear: they do not prioritize one disability over another.

Frank: “All of the riders… need extra time. So they’re in essence prioritized just by the fact that we set our transit up this way.”

Microtransit riders inherently require more time and support, so the system is built around that reality. If someone needs a wheelchair‑accessible vehicle, dispatch assigns the appropriate driver or vehicle.

He also noted that they learned years ago that Microtransit cannot be blended with fixed‑route transit because the needs are too different.

Q: What accessibility features exist in the app and phone system? Can riders book without a smartphone, add notes, or have caregivers book for them?

Most riders today — including many seniors — use smartphones, but Via also supports phone‑based booking.

Key features include:

• Riders can call in to schedule rides

• Profiles can include notes like “needs extra time”

• Systems are designed with mobility and cognitive challenges in mind, though no system can anticipate everything

The fact that they’re thinking about accessibility already shapes how the system is built.

Q: How will the service ensure equal coverage across Parker, Lone Tree, and Highlands Ranch? Should riders expect different wait times?

Frank acknowledged the complexity.

Frank: “You want the same service whether you’re in Parker or Highlands Ranch.”

But real‑world factors — weather, road conditions, accidents, long‑distance trips — can affect wait times, even when the goal is equal service across all zones.

Q: What does long‑term success look like for this pilot? And how will disabled riders influence future expansion?

Long‑term success depends on funding stability and rider feedback.

Frank explained:

• Via will soon have access to $800,000 in new Oil & Gas Fee revenue, a funding source Governor Polis negotiated with the industry

• This will allow them to add more trips as long as the State does not cut other funding during the current budget crisis

• They are waiting on a state contract to expand service

• Frank personally testifies at the Capitol to protect funding

• Rider feedback — especially from disabled riders — is used to justify expansion

Frank: “When we take on a service in an area, we are listening to the riders.”

They track every letter, email, or phone call praising the service and share it with councils and city officials to demonstrate value.

CLOSING REFLECTION

Talking with Frank reminded me of something I learned during my recovery: independence is never built alone. It’s built through the hands, hearts, and decisions of the people who show up for you — the therapists, the nurses, the family members, and yes, the drivers who help you get from your front door to the place where healing happens.

This new microtransit program is an extension of that kind of support. It’s not just about vehicles or apps or scheduling systems. It’s about the thoughtfulness behind every decision — the understanding that many riders are recovering, adapting, or navigating challenges that aren’t always visible. It’s about designing a service that meets people where they are, with dignity and patience.

Frank understands that because he’s lived it. I understand it because I’ve lived it too. And that shared perspective is why this conversation mattered so much. It wasn’t theoretical. It wasn’t abstract. It was grounded in real life — in the realities of disability, recovery, leadership, and the determination to make things better for others.

For riders like me, this program represents more than transportation. It represents possibility. It represents the ability to get to therapy, to appointments, to community, to life. And for the people who will rely on it — stroke survivors, seniors, individuals with mobility challenges, and anyone rebuilding their independence — it represents hope.

My hope is that this conversation helps others see the heart behind the service, the intention behind the decisions, and the humanity behind the leadership. Because when accessibility is built by people who truly understand what it means to need it, the result is something powerful.