DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TransLoc, a technology provider of flexible agency-owned microtransit solutions, today announced partnerships with three innovative California transit agencies readying to deploy microtransit in their respective communities — Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Central Contra Costa Transit Authority (CCCTA) and the San Joaquin Regional Transit District (SJRTD).
Microtransit is a highly flexible, on-demand mode of transportation that’s changing the face of public transit. This on-demand mode couples traditional fixed-route services, like public buses and trains, with demand-driven options to serve the unique needs of cities and communities. Microtransit has the power to positively impact a community’s social mobility and economic viability while also addressing concerns stemming from traffic and parking congestion.
“Forward-thinking transit agencies such as OCTA, CCCTA and SJRTD are breaking down the barriers prohibiting people from leveraging public transit. Together with companies like TransLoc, these public agencies are embracing new approaches when providing public transit options to enhance the benefits in their communities by bringing greater economic vitality, greener environmental stability and a higher quality of life. Microtransit represents this next wave of innovation, merging flexible and fixed transit to better serve their citizens and their communities,” said TransLoc vice president Rahul Kumar.
Powered by TransLoc’s MicroTransit Simulator, a predictive modeling service that can simulate rider demand and determine fleet operations for successful new pilot programs for on-demand transit services, OCTA, CCCTA and SJRTD are now in the initial stages of rolling these new services out to the public. By introducing new agency-owned flexible transit services, each transit agency is now better able to serve their community with their own unique brand of services.
Flexible first mile/last mile options with OCTA
Located southeast of Los Angeles, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) serves 34 cities, including Anaheim, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, California. Challenged with accommodating the diverse transit coverage demands of their community, grappling with declining ridership and solving traffic congestion, OCTA is turning to microtransit to supplement the transit needs of communities underserved by their existing fixed-route network.
OCTA’s microtransit service, called OC Flex, will help the agency reduce parking congestions, grow ridership and provide more efficient service for public-transit riders.
OCTA says it plans to launch OC Flex in the summer of 2018 in two zones within the county – one serving the cities of Huntington Beach and Westminster, and the other serving Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel.
Seamless intermodality with Central Contra Costa Transit Authority
In the suburbs of the San Francisco Bay Area, CCCTA plans to deploy microtransit to complement its current demand-response services, as well as help its riders connect more seamlessly with the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Walnut Creek station. CCCTA currently transports 20-40 commuters per day on its demand-response service that requires call-ahead scheduling. The new microtransit service is about providing CCCTA riders with a positive customer experience that will help to grow ridership numbers.
“By improving the overall rider experience and making it much easier to schedule trips on a mobile device, without having to call in, wait and request a new pick-up appointment, CCCTA will be well on its way to making access to transit more convenient to passengers in our area,” said Rob Schroder, County Connection Board Chair.
CCCTA’s microtransit services are scheduled to begin in February of 2018.
Paratransit rural service at San Joaquin RTD
San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) in Stockton, California is currently leveraging microtransit services, powered by TransLoc, to better serve its rural residents. RTD piloted microtransit in its community to make it possible for riders to request on-demand rides in both real-time and also to schedule services in advance.
“Microtransit has allowed us to provide equitable access to transit for what was an underserved segment of our community,” said Donna DeMarino, CEO of San Joaquin RTD. “We’re just beginning. The information that we are now able to collect on ridership behaviors and the use of this new service will allow us to successfully plan for the expansion of these unique services more quickly across our entire service area.”
San Joaquin RTD’s microtransit pilot began in July 2017.
About TransLoc, Inc.
Hailed by Fast Company as one of the most innovative companies in transportation, TransLoc is the technology provider of the most flexible agency-owned microtransit solution designed to deliver the ultimate rider experience. TransLoc offers predictive models that simulate rider demand and fleet operations, the expertise to plan and deliver unique future-proof transportation solutions, and TransLoc OnDemand, the premier cloud-based flex transit dispatch system built for rapid deployment and hands-free operations, empowering transit agencies to remain central to the future of modern transportation. TransLoc is also proud to be a Google Partner. To learn more, visit TransLoc.com or follow us on Twitter at @TransLoc.