Two Virginia transit companies launched pilot projects for on-demand microtransit services in 2021, spurring record growth in ridership as a result.

Public transit won’t work in rural settings like it does in urban areas—but that doesn’t mean it won’t work at all.
Two rural Virginia transit agencies, Bay Transit on the Northern Neck and Mountain Empire Transit in the Southwest, are proving that point after launching on-demand microtransit services in 2021 and achieving significant ridership growth in 2022.
An article by Wyatt Gordon tells the story of the two transit agencies’ foray into on-demand microtransit, from an inception that was enabled by the state’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) applying for an Integrated Mobility Innovation grant from the Federal Transit Administration.
The pilot project launched by Mountain Empire Transit (METGo) with that funding provides a fare-free alternative to traditional Medicaid-sponsored transportation that previously was the only option for seniors living in the METGo service area.
“In 2022, METGo riders comprised 38% of the system’s total ridership, helping Mountain Empire Transit to set a new ridership record,” reports Gordon.
In the Northern Neck, “Bay Transit eliminated two underperforming fixed routes that served the Gloucester County courthouse and replaced them with the Bay Transit Express-branded microtransit service,” reports Gordon. “The result was a 222% increase in ridership compared to the cut routes.”
The Bay Transit pilot project was so popular that the county is now paying for the service “via a combination of regular operating dollars and a matching grant from the locality.”
FULL STORY: New microtransit service more than doubled ridership in rural regions

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant
A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.

Starting in 2026, You Can Charge Your EV at Waffle House
The 24-hour chain infamous for brawls and, to a lesser extent, waffles plans to install fast-chargers at many of its locations.
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 Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions