As the world reacts to the coronavirus pandemic, transit providers have been tasked with the challenge of how to maintain service for frontline workers in a reliable and safe fashion during this time of uncertainty. To support cities and businesses in their efforts to provide transportation for their riders, Ford Mobility subsidiaries TransLoc, Ride Systems, and DoubleMap are providing transit agencies free transit consulting and demand response software in an effort to help them quickly deploy a responsive service that can both support evolving rider demand and adhere to quickly-changing health guidelines. 

“Transit providers are currently operating in uncharted territory, reacting daily to the evolving needs of their riders and government policies,” said Justin Rees, CEO of Ford Mobility’s TransLoc, Ride Systems and DoubleMap. “Fewer people may be using transit during this crisis, but for healthcare, grocery, law enforcement and other frontline workers, transit services are more critical than ever. Transit providers are the backbone of our communities and we are committed to supporting them in any way possible so they may continue to provide these mission critical services.”

Considering steep declines in ridership in response to COVID-19, transit providers needed to become more reactive and nimbler in their offerings. This has included adjusting and reducing fixed-route services to provide for essential workers, but also limiting routes with empty buses. Offering expertise in reactive transit planning, powered by demand response software, together, TransLoc, Ride Systems, and DoubleMap will work with agencies to offer on-demand services that help to minimize losses associated with drops in ridership, while continuing to provide mission critical service. Beyond offering access to demand response software, Ford Mobility’s transit innovators are offering essential transit planning support during this time of uncertainty.

Interested transit providers are asked to visit this link for more information and to apply for the free service.