In March 2025, Albuquerque launched a microtransit pilot deploying electric vans to connect food desert neighborhoods like South Valley to grocery stores, addressing a longstanding planning challenge. Funded by a $2 million USDOT grant, the program now serves around 1,500 residents weekly. Riders use a city-backed app to hail real-time rides, cutting travel times by 30 percent for low-income families, according to city data.

Unlike fixed-route buses, these agile vans can navigate narrow streets and reach underserved areas faster, making the program a replicable model for equitable transit. Planners cite the initiative as a direct intervention in zoning-induced food deserts, where 23 percent of Bernalillo County residents lack grocery access (USDA, 2025). However, questions remain about the program’s scalability due to maintenance costs.

The story offers a timely example of how small cities can use mobility innovation to promote food justice and reimagine last-mile transit.