Public transportation could be forever altered from this moment on as the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority plans to enact a pilot program that would put “Uber-style” buses in circulation to carry people around town and fill the gaps in service of the existing transit systems.
The Missouri city is currently in negotiations with a Boston-based company called Bridj, which arranges this rideshare project to work within established transit systems, providing rides in urban areas that have little to no coverage from buses.
Labeled “microtransit,” the idea is that commuters need a way to get from transit stops to terminuses. The public already uses other rideshare companies in this fashion. If Kansas City put this program into effect, it would become the first of its kind, competing with Uber and Lyft, as well as taxis.
“At the end of the day, it’s about options for people who want to get somewhere,” said Robbie Makinen, the transit board chairman.
This could have a huge impact on how students get to and from school since children who live within a certain boundary may not have access to a school bus.
Transportation experts have found that people who aren’t close enough to public transportation typically drive due to the length of walk or lack of adequate parking. Under the Bridj model, commuters are guaranteed a ride from a bus stop that’s within a five-minute walk from their starting point and destination.
If this public-private project were approved, Bridj would provide drivers and vehicles that transport 14 people on average.
Considered an “as-needed” transport alternative, microtransit routes are determined through transit data, social media activity and requests for service through a smartphone app.
If this pilot program is a success, it could serve as a model for other cities. “If it works in Kansas City, it works anywhere,” said Matt George, CEO of Bridj.
