For small towns and hard-to-reach areas, on-demand microtransit could offer an effective alternative to fixed-route buses.
A North Carolina town could serve as a model for on-demand transit, reports Nick de la Canal for NPR. But the model could also lead to increased air pollution and traffic congestion, critics warn.
“Wilson, with a population of about 50,000, replaced bus service with these on-demand minivans almost two years ago in partnership with a company called Via. The city pays Via for vehicles, drivers and software to run it all.” City planner Rodger Lentz told NPR that “the service runs about 3,700 trips a week, and that's more than 2 1/2 times the ridership of the old bus system pre-pandemic.”
While this type of on-demand transit can connect hard-to-reach neighborhoods, serve small rural communities, and provide an efficient way for people to get to work, transportation consultant Jarrett Walker “worries that citywide service, like in Wilson, might not be sustainable. It would be cost-prohibitive for bigger cities and increase congestion.”
In Wilson, “Lentz says the ride service costs the city of Wilson about 25% more than buses. But for a smaller city like his, he thinks it's worth it.”
FULL STORY: On-demand shuttles are replacing buses in some areas
North Carolina Town Swaps Fixed-Route Buses for On-Demand Microtransit
The community of Wilson is testing the efficiency of using a publicly subsidized on-demand van service in lieu of traditional buses.
On-Demand Microtransit Proves Itself in Rural Virginia
Two Virginia transit companies launched pilot projects for on-demand microtransit services in 2021, spurring record growth in ridership as a result.
On-Demand Transit Grows in Georgia
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.
Amtrak Ramping Up Infrastructure Projects
Thanks to federal funding from the 2021 infrastructure act, the agency plans to triple its investment in infrastructure improvements and new routes in the next two years.
Ending Downtown San Francisco’s ‘Doom Loop’
A new public space project offers an ambitious vision—so why is the city implementing it at such a small scale?
Proposal Would Transform L.A.’s ‘Freeway to Nowhere’ Into Park, Housing
A never-completed freeway segment could see new life as a mixed-use development with housing, commercial space, and one of the county’s largest parks.
Report: U.S. Biking Boom Slows
The pandemic bike boom is petering out, but more Americans are biking than ever before, signaling a need for cities to keep improving bike infrastructure and make roads safer for cyclists.
Tempe Historic Preservation Proposal Could Make it Harder to Build New Homes
Proposed changes to the city’s preservation ordinance would make two-thirds of the city’s housing stock eligible for preservation.
How to Measure Transit Equity
A new report highlights the need to go beyond traditional equity metrics to assess how public transit systems are serving the lowest-income and most disadvantaged riders.
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