Which mobility option (microtransit, autonomous vehicles, and bike-share) do you feel could have the most impact at your agency?

Amy E. Hill, MPA
GM/CEO, South Bend Public Transportation Corp. (Transpo)
South Bend, Indiana
Each mobility option has the ability to impact our agency. Bike-share supports transit by providing a valuable first-mile, last-mile solution, but can also negatively impact ridership in specific areas, such as college campuses. As we move forward and our service continues to evolve, microtransit could have the potential for the most impact at our agency. Like many agencies, we are challenged with finding cost-effective options for meeting service needs and filling gaps in service. Microtransit, and eventually autonomous vehicles, could be viable solutions.

Charles D. Frazier
Executive Director
Rock Region Metro
Little Rock, Arkansas
Although not a replacement for highly productive routes, microtransit is flexible and, in this age of ‘on-demand service,’ appeals to the community at large. We can use existing fleet vehicles or partner with mobility companies to offer additional vehicles. We can also pinpoint service areas with microtransit, which may improve productivity in low-demand areas and can improve the customer experience. Microtransit is especially useful for addressing first/last-mile issues as well. Whether it’s the fleet, service area, or labor, microtransit can foster public transit innovation citizens are demanding.

Douglas Roelfs
GM, Greater Peoria Mass Transit District (CityLink)
Peoria, Illinois
I believe microtransit will be the next step for the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District. While conventional bus stop
and fixed-route service works well in
the larger urban setting, smaller urban transit agencies have to be more flexible and use other methods, because we don’t have the ridership demand to sustain the shorter and more convenient headways. If a passenger misses a bus or cannot get to the next closest stop, they want to have alternative options.