Rideshare systems like Lyft and Uber have made travel extremely convenient. But, the costs keep them from being an everyday option for many.
RTC has an idea to combine the accessibility of rideshares with the price of public transportation in what they call "Microtransit."
"Microtransit is an on-demand smaller bus that we plan on using in this pilot program," said Michael Dulude, Transit Planner and Scheduler for RTC.
Right now, it is just in the proposal stage, pending approval from the RTC board, but if approved then you can order a bus just using your smartphone, and one will appear right in your neighborhood.
This pilot program will take place in a specific area of Northeast Sparks, where RTC saw that the larger bus system is generally low, and are trying to improve service and provide more opportunities for people to travel within that community.
If adopted, it would also eliminate the number 26 bus route, and would shorten the number 25 route. But residents inside the Microtransit area can hitch a ride to the Ironhorse Shopping Center and the main RTC Centennial Plaza.
Because it is subsidized by the RTC program, it is the same fare as a normal bus ride. But this program isn't in effect yet, and RTC wants to hear from residents.
“It's important that we hear from the public, the public opinions, ideas and concerns are very important to us, we would like to hear from them," said Dulude.
You can attend these meetings on Monday, January 28th from 4pm-6pm at the RTC Centennial Plaza, or Tuesday, January 29th from 7am-9am at the RTC 4th Street Station.
