The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) issued a request for proposals to provide discounted on-demand transportation for late-night employees during hours when Metrorail is closed. Under a one-year pilot program, WMATA would subsidize trips taken with ride-hailing or taxi companies during late-night hours to support more cost-effective options for eligible workers, primarily in the hospitality and healthcare industries.
The on-demand service will be offered seven days a week for trips within WMATA’s service area between midnight and 4 a.m. The agency would pay the first $3 of the fare, up to a maximum of 10 trips per week per registered rider. The budget for the one-year pilot will be capped at $1 million.
The program is intended to benefit overnight workers affected by changes in Metrorail’s operating hours to support improved maintenance, safety, and reliability.
Metrorail reliability has been near record highs for the past two months, with more than nine in 10 trips arriving on time and unscheduled track disruptions down 75% in the second half of 2018, compared to the prior year, WMATA reports. The improved infrastructure condition has also resulted in a sharp reduction in single-tracking events (down 35%) over the past eight months compared to the prior year.
Responses from prospective vendors are due April 10, and the program could begin as soon as this summer. The pilot results will be reviewed to determine whether to extend the program beyond one year.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
Transit agencies depend on safe, reliable vehicles to deliver consistent service. This eBook examines how next-generation fleet software helps agencies move from reactive processes to proactive operations through automated maintenance, real-time safety insights, and integrated data. Learn how fleets are improving uptime, safety outcomes, and operational efficiency.
In a recent episode of METROspectives, LYT CEO Timothy Menard discusses how artificial intelligence, cloud connectivity, and real-time data are transforming traffic management, boosting bus reliability, and enabling system-wide transit optimization across cities.
The analysis finds that a $4.6 trillion investment across all levels of government over 20 years ($230 billion per year) would be required to build, operate, and maintain a transit network that approaches the level of service within a cohort of 17 global cities with world-class transit systems.
As the transportation landscape continues to evolve in the wake of the pandemic, few manufacturers have faced, or embraced, change as decisively as Forest River Bus.
