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
Richmond Transit to Add Bus Stop Benches, Shelters
The region’s transit agency plans to install new benches and shelters at as many as 75 percent of bus stops systemwide.
Meet Pulse, Richmond Virginia's New Bus Rapid Transit
Pulse BRT, the second BRT system in the state of Virginia, runs down Broad Street and offers a mix of best practices and practicality to push the mode beyond what many cities are able to realize.
The Importance of Rural Transit
On Transit Equity Day, reminding policymakers that rural communities need access to transit too.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.
Parks: Essential Community Infrastructure — and a Smart Investment
Even during times of budget constraint, continued investment in parks is critical, as they provide proven benefits to public health, safety, climate resilience, and community well-being — particularly for under-resourced communities.
Porches, Pets, and the People We Grow Old With
Neighborhood connections and animal companions matter to aging with dignity, and how we build can support them. Here’s a human-scale proposal for aging in place.
Single-Stair Design Contest Envisions Human-Scale Buildings
Single-stair building construction is having a resurgence in the United States, where, for the last several decades, zoning codes have required more than one staircase in multi-story housing developments.
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.
City of Charlotte
Municipality of Princeton
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)