In light of steep declines in transit ridership and municipal budgets as a result of COVID-19, transit providers are rapidly becoming more reactive and nimble in their offerings. This has included adjusting and reducing fixed route services to provide for essential workers, but also limiting routes with empty buses. Transit providers have been tasked with the challenge of how to maintain service for frontline workers in a reliable and safe fashion during this time of uncertainty. With a slow and prolonged reopening across the country, these solutions will also become essential for the workforce that are able to return to work by means of transit.

To support cities and businesses in their efforts to provide transportation for their riders, Ford Mobility subsidiaries TransLoc, Ride Systems and DoubleMap are providing free transit consulting and demand response software for transit agencies in an effort to help them quickly deploy a responsive service that can both support evolving rider demand, and adhere to quickly-changing health guidelines.

Joining Alex Gibson from TransLoc, we will hear from Josh Powers who is serving as a member of the County Manager’s Office and is the contract administrator and regional transit liaison between Johnson County Government and the Kansas City Area Transit Authority (KCATA). Josh brings a unique perspective as he shares insights from service changes and the re-utilization of infrastructure, to creative ways to avoid driver layoffs and the allocation of resources with CARE Act funding.

Offering expertise in reactive transit planning, powered by demand response software, TransLoc, Ride Systems and DoubleMap are working with agencies to offer on-demand services that help to minimize losses associated with drops in ridership, while continuing to provide mission-critical service. Beyond offering access to demand response software, Ford Mobility’s transit innovators are offering essential transit planning support during this time of uncertainty.