IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/trapol/v145y2024icp259-278.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Policy, management, and operation practices in U.S. microtransit systems

Author

Listed:
  • Ghimire, Subid
  • Bardaka, Eleni
  • Monast, Kai
  • Wang, Juan
  • Wright, Waugh

Abstract

This paper identifies the current practices and challenges related to the planning, management, and operation of microtransit systems as well as the concerns associated with the (lack of) policies in place. Our work focuses on the U.S. experience and is primarily based on an in-depth analysis of six microtransit systems using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data. We investigate and classify the multiple ways public agencies form public-private partnerships to institute microtransit service in their jurisdictions and discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of the different service delivery models. We also thoroughly examine the contracts public agencies formed with private entities to disentangle the various cost elements associated with the launch and operation of a microtransit system. Our policy discussion emphasizes the lack of sustained funding sources for microtransit and the funding formulas that lead to a reduction or loss of public transportation funding when a jurisdiction replaces a fixed route service with microtransit. We also explain the requirements for ADA compliance in microtransit systems and highlight that service equivalency between disabled and non-disabled riders is not guaranteed when only some of the microtransit vehicles and operators are ADA compliant and certified. In terms of operation practices, we describe the safety risks that microtransit users may face on a day-to-day basis due to algorithm-driven virtual pick-up and drop-off locations, and the unwillingness of some service providers to enforce inclusive practices and ensure that individuals without electronic payment options and smartphones can gain access to the service. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges with balancing supply and demand in microtransit systems, and the need for allowing for both on-demand and pre-scheduled trip requests in order to ensure that critical and time-sensitive work, school, and medical trips are accommodated and prioritized.

Suggested Citation

  • Ghimire, Subid & Bardaka, Eleni & Monast, Kai & Wang, Juan & Wright, Waugh, 2024. "Policy, management, and operation practices in U.S. microtransit systems," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 259-278.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:145:y:2024:i:c:p:259-278
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2023.10.011
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X23002792
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tranpol.2023.10.011?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jokinen, Jani-Pekka & Sihvola, Teemu & Mladenovic, Milos N., 2019. "Policy lessons from the flexible transport service pilot Kutsuplus in the Helsinki Capital Region," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 123-133.
    2. Mishra, Sushreeta & Mehran, Babak & Sahu, Prasanta K., 2020. "Assessment of delivery models for semi-flexible transit operation in low-demand conditions," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 275-287.
    3. Babak Mehran & Yongzhe Yang & Sushreeta Mishra, 2020. "Analytical models for comparing operational costs of regular bus and semi-flexible transit services," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 147-169, March.
    4. Currie, Graham & Fournier, Nicholas, 2020. "Why most DRT/Micro-Transits fail – What the survivors tell us about progress," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    5. Rayle, Lisa & Dai, Danielle & Chan, Nelson & Cervero, Robert & Shaheen, Susan PhD, 2016. "Just A Better Taxi? A Survey-Based Comparison of Taxis, Transit, and Ridesourcing Services in San Francisco," Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings qt60v8r346, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley.
    6. Liu, Chang & Bardaka, Eleni, 2021. "The suburbanization of poverty and changes in access to public transportation in the Triangle Region, NC," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    7. Barajas, Jesus M. & Brown, Anne, 2021. "Not minding the gap: Does ride-hailing serve transit deserts?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    8. Lucken, Emma & Trapenberg Frick, Karen & Shaheen, Susan, 2019. "“Three Ps in a MOD:” Role for mobility on demand (MOD) public-private partnerships in public transit provision," Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings qt2k2550ct, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley.
    9. Shaheen, Susan PhD & Chan, Nelson, 2016. "Mobility and the Sharing Economy: Potential to Overcome First- and Last-Mile Public Transit Connections," Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings qt8042k3d7, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley.
    10. Sanaullah, Irum & Alsaleh, Nael & Djavadian, Shadi & Farooq, Bilal, 2021. "Spatio-temporal analysis of on-demand transit: A case study of Belleville, Canada," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 284-301.
    11. Yan, Xiang & Zhao, Xilei & Han, Yuan & Hentenryck, Pascal Van & Dillahunt, Tawanna, 2021. "Mobility-on-demand versus fixed-route transit systems: An evaluation of traveler preferences in low-income communities," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 481-495.
    12. Alejandro Tirachini, 2020. "Ride-hailing, travel behaviour and sustainable mobility: an international review," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 2011-2047, August.
    13. Brake, Jenny & Mulley, Corinne & Nelson, John D. & Wright, Steve, 2007. "Key lessons learned from recent experience with Flexible Transport Services," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 458-466, November.
    14. Jeroen Bastiaanssen & Daniel Johnson & Karen Lucas, 2020. "Does transport help people to gain employment? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the empirical evidence," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(5), pages 607-628, July.
    15. Kumar, Pramesh & Khani, Alireza, 2022. "Planning of integrated mobility-on-demand and urban transit networks," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 499-521.
    16. Rath, Srushti & Liu, Bingqing & Yoon, Gyugeun & Chow, Joseph Y.J., 2023. "Microtransit deployment portfolio management using simulation-based scenario data upscaling," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    17. Schasché, Stephanie E. & Sposato, Robert G. & Hampl, Nina, 2022. "The dilemma of demand-responsive transport services in rural areas: Conflicting expectations and weak user acceptance," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 43-54.
    18. Konstantinos Zografos & Konstantinos Androutsopoulos & Teemu Sihvola, 2008. "A methodological approach for developing and assessing business models for flexible transport systems," Transportation, Springer, vol. 35(6), pages 777-795, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mishra, Sushreeta & Mehran, Babak & Sahu, Prasanta K., 2020. "Assessment of delivery models for semi-flexible transit operation in low-demand conditions," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 275-287.
    2. Wang, Yiyuan & Shen, Qing, 2023. "An economic analysis of incorporating new shared mobility into public transportation provision," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 263-273.
    3. Yu, Haitao & Peng, Zhong-Ren, 2019. "Exploring the spatial variation of ridesourcing demand and its relationship to built environment and socioeconomic factors with the geographically weighted Poisson regression," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 147-163.
    4. Hasselwander, Marc & Bigotte, Joao F. & Antunes, Antonio P. & Sigua, Ricardo G., 2022. "Towards sustainable transport in developing countries: Preliminary findings on the demand for mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) in Metro Manila," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 501-518.
    5. Dikas, G. & Minis, I., 2014. "Scheduled paratransit transport systems," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 18-34.
    6. Xiaoxia Dong & Erick Guerra & Ricardo A. Daziano, 2022. "Impact of TNC on travel behavior and mode choice: a comparative analysis of Boston and Philadelphia," Transportation, Springer, vol. 49(6), pages 1577-1597, December.
    7. Kumar, Akshay & Gupta, Akshay & Parida, Manoranjan & Chauhan, Vivek, 2022. "Service quality assessment of ride-sourcing services: A distinction between ride-hailing and ride-sharing services," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 61-79.
    8. Fayed, Lynn & Nilsson, Gustav & Geroliminis, Nikolas, 2023. "On the utilization of dedicated bus lanes for pooled ride-hailing services," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 29-52.
    9. Rich, Jeppe & Seshadri, Ravi & Jomeh, Ali Jamal & Clausen, Sofus Rasmus, 2023. "Fixed routing or demand-responsive? Agent-based modelling of autonomous first and last mile services in light-rail systems," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    10. Tu, Meiting & Li, Ye & Li, Wenxiang & Tu, Minchao & Orfila, Olivier & Gruyer, Dominique, 2019. "Improving ridesplitting services using optimization procedures on a shareability network: A case study of Chengdu," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    11. Rossetti, Tomás & Broaddus, Andrea & Ruhl, Melissa & Daziano, Ricardo, 2023. "Commuter preferences for a first-mile/last-mile microtransit service in the United States," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    12. Tian, Guang & Ewing, Reid & Li, Han, 2023. "Exploring the influences of ride-hailing services on VMT and transit usage – Evidence from California," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    13. Prasanta K. Sahu & Babak Mehran & Surya P. Mahapatra & Satish Sharma, 2021. "Spatial data analysis approach for network-wide consolidation of bus stop locations," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 375-394, June.
    14. Cortina, Mélanie & Chiabaut, Nicolas & Leclercq, Ludovic, 2023. "Fostering synergy between transit and Autonomous Mobility-on-Demand systems: A dynamic modeling approach for the morning commute problem," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    15. Peace, Joseph & Sweet, Matthias & Scott, Darren M., 2023. "Why do planners do what they do? and what are the implications? Guidance from on-demand ride-hailing policy in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 72-82.
    16. Sharon Shoshany-Tavory & Tamar Trop & Yoram Shiftan, 2024. "A cross-cultural study of nonprofit self-organized ridesharing," Transportation, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 717-757, April.
    17. Xudong Li & Zhongzhen Yang & Feng Lian, 2023. "Optimizing On-Demand Bus Services for Remote Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-20, April.
    18. Loa, Patrick & Ong, Felita & Hawkins, Jason & Nurul Habib, Khandker, 2023. "Unravelling the relationship between ride-sourcing services and conventional modes in the city of Toronto: A stated preference study," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 209-220.
    19. L. Miguel Martínez & José Manuel Viegas & Tomás Eiró, 2015. "Formulating a New Express Minibus Service Design Problem as a Clustering Problem," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(1), pages 85-98, February.
    20. Aghaabbasi, Mahdi & Shekari, Zohreh Asadi & Shah, Muhammad Zaly & Olakunle, Oloruntobi & Armaghani, Danial Jahed & Moeinaddini, Mehdi, 2020. "Predicting the use frequency of ride-sourcing by off-campus university students through random forest and Bayesian network techniques," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 262-281.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:145:y:2024:i:c:p:259-278. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30473/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.