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ROUNDTABLE
DISCUSSION
Advertorial
n August, we brought four transit experts together to discuss the state of affairs for the transit
industry. The robust conversation honed in on the pressures the industry faces today, how
passenger expectations are evolving, where microtransit plays a role in a customer-centric
approach to transit operations, and the need to better use and enhance technology.
A customer-centric approach to transit requires leveraging technology, including transportation
management software. Transit professionals are being challenged to meet rider
requirements on two fronts. Mostly in suburbia, the aging of the baby boomer population will
bring a “silver tsunami” of paratransit riders who expect to stay active. In urbanized areas, the
millennial generation is opting out of owning a car and using transit services. Today with the
development of apps and online scheduling portals, baby boomers and younger people alike
want the service to be immediate. This shift in expectations and new technology opportunities
brings a need to offer new, easily accessible services.
This is where microtransit and TNCs come into play. Microtransit, whether focused on
connecting neighborhoods to main-line transit or service within a suburban district, offers a
cost-efficient way for people to maintain mobility. Service can be provided by private-sector
contractors, taxi companies or TNCs. Mobility as a service, including microtransit, has the potential
to flourish if some elements are met such as a single multi-modal information platform. A
single platform enabling customers to schedule rides and retrieve valuable information on local
transit, TNCs, taxis and other transportation offerings can significantly increase trust among
riders and the services they are using. A single-fare payment and accounting platform also
would greatly ease the rider experience while enabling necessary oversight over subsidized rides.
TNCs can potentially play a positive role in connecting people to transit hubs, where they
can transfer to fixed-route transit, if shared-ride service is used to reduce traffic congestion.
Each neighborhood calls for its own specific set of transportation needs, and a driver could
keep quite busy shuttling people back and forth to high-frequency transit services as well as
to nearby shopping and medical facilities. In this concept, shared-ride service would reduce
traffic congestion and create new suburban mobility opportunities.
As the buzz about autonomous vehicles continues to grow, our four industry professionals
concluded their discussion on the topic. Pilot projects are developing to test automated shuttles
within controlled environments such as airport or college campuses, and these bear watching.
However, the extent of their use on the road has yet to be determined. All four agree the
need for agency staff to assist passengers will remain, especially for paratransit because of the
unique individual needs of each passenger.
As transportation needs and technology evolve, so does transit. Building partnerships will
mutually benefit the industry, and communities and passengers served.
I
Transit Looking Forward
Judith Crawford
CEO, National Express
Transit
Peter Albrecht
Transit Trainer and
Consultant
Daniel Andrlik
Vice President of
Product, Ecolane
Steve Yaffe
Transit Services
Manager