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bus station with the text Extending the reach of transit: answering the first-mile/last-mile question

The transit industry is being disrupted and there are more mobility options than ever before. Those multi-modal options are leveraging technology to be more flexible and cost-effective than car ownership or public transit. While transit is a viable option for many, most people don’t live within walking distance of a transit stop. So, how do we: A) connect them with transit? B) make transit the preferred option?

Let’s continue the conversation here. Leave your comments and/or questions below. 

Here are a sampling of questions and answers from the webinar.

Question: How involved are GoTriangle and MATA in the pilots with Uber? When does test begin? How long does it last?
Answer: GoTriangle and MATA are critical to this process and we’ve worked with them closely from the beginning. The pilots begin in March 2016 and last six months.

Q: How much do you expect ridership to increase?
A: We’re not really sure, but we’re confident that continuing to provide options to increase mobility for our communities is critical to the future success of our cities. We’ll be working with our agency partners to evaluate any ridership changes.

Q: What data are you collecting? Transit agencies could really benefit from the statistics gathered from Uber users in those outlying communities and walksheds. Agencies could then start improving their bus routes and stop nodes to where those Uber routes drop people off, and make a better system on the agencies’ end too.
A: TransLoc’s mission is to make public transit the first choice for all. We’ll use the data from how riders use public transit and Uber to help agencies better understand how their riders move around their communities, similar to what we currently do with TransLoc Traveler.

Q: Is this solution something that would be functional in both large and small transit agencies?
A: We’ve received interest from a variety of agencies in many different sizes. If you are interested in piloting this integration, contact us.

Q: Are transit agencies afraid Uber will “steal” their customers and keep them in the car for the whole journey?
A: In our conversations with transit agencies, we’ve heard most agencies state that they believe that Uber complements public transit well. By helping existing and new riders create a seamless trip, the goal is to see how this integration may help increase ridership, not decrease it.

Q: In the future, will there be an integrated system that will allow transit customers to choose their mobility option including the OnDemand option and the Uber option?
A: During the pilot period, riders will be presented with multiple choices including transit, Uber or both. Future versions will contain more options, including TransLoc OnDemand. See how Emory University revolutionized their Safe Ride systems with TransLoc OnDemand.

Q: Who is handling payment? Is TransLoc collecting and distributing to Uber or is the rider’s Uber payment information being directly charged? For example, would TransLoc be able to load transit fare card so that card could be tapped for the transit portion of the trip?
A: Currently, the rider will pay for their Uber with an existing or new Uber account. Future versions will include options for transit fare payment and fare card integration.