The Springfield City Department of Transportation is switching gears. A driver-reservation service will slowly start to take the place of the typical bus routes. By the end of this year, there will be a major shift from the city’s classic bus system to what is known as public microtransit.
The Deputy Director of Public Safety and Operations Jason Via sat down with The Springfield Hub recently to talk about this shift, saying: “The goal is to offer an improved, modernized service that is more efficient, allows us to reach and serve more people, and provides a customer-focused experience.”
This involves expanding the hours of the city transit system to include first, second and some third shift hours with transportation available from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. It also will be completely based on demand, similar to what one would see from private ride services. Rides will be able to be requested online, probably through an app.
“We are really hoping to connect with the workforce. We consistently hear from employers that transportation is a key issue. The goal would be to stay open late enough that we can serve all three shifts," Via says.
Right now, seven bus routes are running in continuous loops from 6:40 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. on weekdays.
Via goes on to say: “We are, however, going to be sure that we will still be able to serve our existing clientele, even those who don’t have access to the internet or who might be unbanked. I think this is really important. We’re going to continue to find ways to meet those needs. The goal is to accommodate everybody.”
With the goal of keeping the transportation system as accessible as possible, these driver-reservation services will be priced at about one-fourth of the cost of mainstream private transportation services in the city.
“The establishment of a new fare rate should be distance-based. We intend to make it affordable, and support our existing customers while attracting new ones,” Via says.
Via has worked with the city for 20 years and joined the Public Safety and Operations Department a year ago as they were starting to hone in on a plan of action regarding the new transportation system. He mentioned that they’ve been working on bringing about this change for about four to five years through the careful evaluation of the Clark County Springfield Transportation Coordination Committee (TCC), and the Human Services Committee of Transportation.
The city administration’s office is enthusiastic about the updated transportation options, Via says, and hopes the change-over is as seamless and convenient for the current customer base as possible.
The change is needed because the system Springfield has in place went in during the 1960’s and the city is a different place now.
In the meantime, the partnership with First Transit, which has maintained the Springfield City Area Transit (SCAT) for over a decade, will continue. As is common, in keeping with contractual obligations, the city will release a Request for Proposals for transit companies interested in operating the new service and a new vendor will be chosen based on those proposals.
Since microtransit is popular in other areas with a larger demand for public transportation, they typically adopt this method as a complimentary option while sustaining their mass transit systems such as bus routes. However, Via says he hopes that Springfield can make a complete conversion by winter, to stimulate the economy and grow the workforce.
“I think it's a prime market right now for transit as communities move away from those other systems,” he says.
An example of these communities that have already made the change is in nearby Delaware County, Ohio. They launched their microtransit model in 2020 to cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic and completely shifted to this method by the third quarter of that year. They have been a primary example for the City of Springfield as progress on transportation system update moves along.
One resource that Springfield’s Department of Transportation brought up was the Executive Director of Transit for Delaware County Andy Volenik. He says: “Traditional six-route transit just doesn’t seem to be what people want in today's world. They want to be able to walk out of their house, get into a vehicle, and go wherever they want to go, on their schedule. Routes require you to have a map and timetable in front of you, schedule your day around it, and if you miss that window you’d have to wait another hour, usually.”
When asked if there was a public backlash in the early days, Volenik says, “I believe some were concerned about the ease of use. To emphasize the convenience of a self-service styled system we secured an app in September of 2023 and by now we’re up to 42% of trips within the City of Delaware being ordered through the app.” He offers the assurance that any hesitation regarding use of this transportation system is easily overcome through “organic use and the growth of awareness.”
Volenik says there was a noticeable increase in residents’ use of public transportation in the years after they introduced microtransit, and the number continues to climb annually.
“We are currently breaking monthly records on ridership and a vehicle will show up in front of you within 5 minutes. That’s thanks to our technology and our great operations team,” Volenik says. “Personally, I would never have used the traditional system because there was no need. While it’s great to have active transportation at all, it would be challenging if for some reason you don’t have access to a sidewalk network or connections to a bus route, or you’re in an area that hasn’t been fully developed. Now we can safely pick you up and avoid the circuitous runaround.”
Closer to home, one Springfield local who is excited about the shift is Peggy Ault of the Department of Education at Wittenberg University. She echoes Volenik's perspective on traditional transit routes when asked about Springfield's project.
“I feel that there’s a stigma with some students towards public transportation, particularly those who aren’t familiar with a metropolitan area,” Ault says. “Being able to call a ride delivery service may even be preferable, and relieve some of that. You don’t have to worry about registering a car, or its maintenance and expenses, students could streamline their mobility and be more independent.”
Ault considers microtransit to be far more “user friendly.” It's a convenience for student teachers, students attaining their required service credit from around the city, and those living off-campus are highlights.
Considering their proximity to city limits those attending Clark State Community College as well as those trying to get to Mercy Health — Springfield Regional Medical Center, those trying to get downtown, or even to the commerce on Bechtle Avenue all could benefit from the new transit option. Partnerships and grant funding through the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) and the Ohio Department of Transportation will make this service possible.
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