New microtransit service more than doubled ridership in rural regions

  • Date: 08/29/2023

Recognizing this growing rural transportation challenge, in 2021 two Virginia transit agencies launched on-demand microtransit services designed to expand their offerings and boost riders’ mobility. Both Bay Transit on the Northern Neck and Mountain Empire Transit in the Southwest saw record ridership thanks to the new service, proving that microtransit could be a cost-effective tool to increase the efficiency of rural transit and close crucial service gaps.

To pay for the two pilot projects, the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) applied for an Integrated Mobility Innovation grant from the Federal Transit Administration. After DRPT was awarded $160,000 for the two pilots, Mountain Empire Transit and Bay Transit both launched on-demand microtransit service in June 2021.

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