From small rural towns to metro Atlanta, Georgia communities are experimenting with on-demand transit to improve connections to existing transit and offer transportation to isolated communities.
“In the past 18 months, on-demand transit has launched across Georgia, from Atlanta to Valdosta to Gainesville,” writes John Ruch. “Advocates and critics differ on the details while agreeing on-demand has its place and its unknowns.”
“Providing fast, low-cost service for last-mile connectivity and other short trips has been difficult and it limits the appeal of transit as a mode of travel. If we can solve that problem with services like the Buc and MARTA Reach, we can make it much easier for people to choose transit,” said Jim Durrett, executive director of the Buckhead Community Improvement District (CID), which funded the Buc shuttle in that neighborhood.
Critics say on-demand transit is “inherently far less efficient than fixed-route buses,” making it “best suited to small-town, rural and suburban-sprawl areas” as an option for hard-to-reach areas with few other transit options. This is exactly how several small Georgia communities, such as Valdosta and Hall County, are using it. In a much larger city, Atlanta’s MARTA is exploring microtransit as a solution for other goals. “In metro Atlanta, two new on-demand programs are aimed at ‘last-mile connectivity’ for fixed-route transit riders, with the implication of boosting overall transit ridership.”
The next six months, writes Ruch, should provide a clearer picture of how effective on-demand transit programs will be in increasing ridership and bringing transit access to more Georgians.
FULL STORY: On-demand transit expands across Georgia, putting pitches and criticisms to the test
Denton Plans to Replace Most Bus Routes With On-Demand Microtransit
Transit advocates worry that outsourcing fixed-route service will decrease service levels and raise costs for riders.
A Brief History of Kansas City’s Microtransit
The city’s costly experiment with on-demand transit is yielding to more strategic investment.
Developing a Common Language for Microtransit Providers
New data specification technology could help rural agencies streamline their operations and coordinate efforts to improve service delivery.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie