The three-year program will expand transit to rural and suburban areas that currently lack access to the region’s fixed-route bus lines.
A three-year microtransit pilot program run by the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) is coming to six localities in the greater Richmond, Virginia area, reports Wyatt Gordon in Greater Greater Washington.
The program aims to “close mobility gaps in rural and suburban parts of the region via an on-demand system that will allow people to book rides in real time and get picked up and dropped off in designated areas.”
The need is real: “Of the 2,165 square miles which comprise the Greater Richmond region, GRTC’s fixed-route bus service currently only covers 9% of that area, leaving the vast majority of Central Virginia’s more than one million residents with no other options to get around besides owning a private vehicle,” Gordon explains.
The pilot will also give officials insight into transit demand in previously underserved areas. “Such service is an easy way to test demand in areas whose demographics and land use patterns are conducive to transit but don’t yet enjoy any public transportation.”
Details about the type of vehicles to be used in the fleet, fares, and other program elements are yet to be decided. The program is funded in part by a grant from the Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s Transit Riders Incentive Program.
Transit agencies around the country are exploring microtransit and on-demand transit as cost-effective options for expanding or maintaining transit service as commuting patterns and transit demand change and fare revenues remain below pre-pandemic levels.
FULL STORY: New microtransit program will expand mobility across six Richmond region localities
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.