Microtransit Can Boost Ridership, but Agencies Struggle With Cost

Some transit services that are including on-demand services are seeing bigger increases in ridership, according to an article in the Minnesota Reformer, as post-pandemic travel patterns shift away from the typical 9-to-5 commutes.

In Minnesota, the Minnesota Valley Transit’s Connect service “is so popular that it’s having trouble keeping up with demand, even as the Legislature allocated over $9 million last year to build out Connect and similar systems statewide.”

Unlike other dial-a-ride services, Connect and other microtransit options offer service within an hour or less. It also lets passengers board without a reservation when the bus stops to pick up someone else.

Microtransit options can work well in less-dense areas and suburbs where few other transit options are available and where ridership is sparse. However, the per-mile cost of these services can be prohibitive to some agencies and, some have argued, does not scale well. For example, “To manage demand, MVTA only allows riders to book rides up to three hours ahead of time, while also cutting some regular bus service in September to ensure they have enough drivers to provide the service in their existing areas.”