The new service, called SMART Flex, will extend access to public transit and provide trips to COVID vaccine centers in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.
The goal of the Arlington RAPID pilot project is to provide a blueprint for combining on-demand rideshare and AV technology for safe and accessible public transit.
Getting people like seniors, low-income earners and car-less people to COVID-19 vaccination centers safely and efficiently is a significant logistical challenge in many places. Without universal access to adequate fixed-route transit, pop-up microtransit can be an important tool in an agency’s arsenal.
The service was launched at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 to complement and extend Jersey City’s existing public transit infrastructure, specifically to fill the existing gaps in public transportation access in the North and South regions of the city.
Overall, the paper looks at the changing role of public transit agencies as they look to expand their network to increase mobility options in the communities they serve.
Metro Micro, the agency’s new ride-hailing service that offers shared rides operated by Metro employees in partnership with RideCo. Inc., will begin operating services in the Compton/Artesia, El Monte, and North Hollywood/Burbank service zones beginning Jan. 25.
More than 39,000 accounts have been created and more than 470,000 rides have been taken on Via Arlington since the service launched.
The technology behind this service will allow riders to plan entire trips — both Metro Micro and their bus or train ride — in real-time using a single mobile app, internet browser, or Metro’s call center.
The new service, called Salem Skipper, will provide residents with more convenient and affordable travel.
The team has also partnered with Spare for the program, which will serve the tri-town area of Franklin, Foxboro, and Norfolk, Mass.