Mass_Transit_March_2020 - 18

MaaS Ridership
The agency's Lewisville Lakeway On-Demand service costs the
same as its standard fixed-route
service and operates Monday
through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to
10:00 p.m., and Saturdays from
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Riders
can book a trip in the Lewisville
Lakeway Zone in real time via the
Spare Rider mobile app, which can
be downloaded from the Apple
and Google Play store or by calling
940-243-0077. Payment is proven
by showing the operator a Local
Day Pass, AM/PM Pass, Regional
Pass or a student ID when a rider
boards the vehicle.
The Spare Rider mobile app
or a DCTA customer service representative directs riders to the
most appropriate stop for pick
up and drop off locations. Passenger wait and travel times each
average less than six minutes.
The service includes a mixture
of current physical bus stops,
as well as virtual stops within
the mobile app. In addition, the
Lewisville Lakeway On-Demand
zone includes DCTA's Hebron
station which serves as a main
rail hub to ensure seamless connectivity with the agency's transit system.

How DCTA and
riders benefit from
microtransit service

DCTA's Lewisville Lakeway
On-Demand service was able to
solve various challenges for passengers and the agency. One of
the main advantages of the service is enhancing the passenger experience by operating a
small-scale, on-demand vehicle
that provides flexible routes and
on-demand scheduling. Below are
more ways DCTA's microstransit
service is beneficial to the agency
and passengers:
BENEFITS TO DCTA:
* Increased ridership in the area because of the flexibility of use and
the feel of individual response.
* More cost effective to operate

18 |

than traditional fixed bus route
service.
* Spare Lab software gives DCTA
drivers the ability to add a walk
up rider and pool trips to ensure
booked trips are shared to shorten rider wait times.
* Promo codes can be added to
offer passengers free rides or
discounts for marketing efforts.
BENEFITS TO RIDERS:
* Customer-friendly mobile app
and trip scheduling process.
* R ider ability to book a trip on
their own time and track their
ride in real time.
* Direct link to other
DCTA bus stops and
A-train stations.
* Programmed banner announcements
within the mobile
app for a user to view
that can be marked
at priority level.

THE ON-DEMAND service vehicles have seating for 12
passengers and are accessible to passengers with
a mobility device.

Innovative
program leads
to successful
ridership and
positive future
outlook

In 2019, DCTA's
Lewisville Lakeway
On-Demand service
carried just under
10,000 passengers in
the designated zone
with a monthly average ridership of 830 passengers.
Within the first few months of
the service, DCTA experienced
an initial growth of 43 percent and
waiting times went down 29 percent. In comparison, the previous
Lewisville Connect Route 21 fixed
route that served the area frequently showed lower ridership and was
not as cost-effective per trip as the
new microtransit service.
"There is a changing landscape
in the public transportation industry," Suarez said. "Riders want different options beyond traditional
fixed-route services and DCTA
has become more flexible to meet

Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | MARCH 2020

RIDERS ARE able to
track their ride in
real time.

our community's needs with more
innovative mobility solutions."
Last year, DCTA conducted
its biannual Passenger Satisfaction Survey in which the agency
received a total of 2,629 responses,
which is equal to 20 percent of the
average daily ridership for April
2019. Below are positive survey
highlights of customer feedback
of the agency's Lewisville Lakeway
On-Demand service, including:
* 94 percent of respondents rated DCTA's Lewisville Lakeway
On-Demand service as "excellent" or "good."
* 83 percent of survey respondents
also said they would book a trip
via a mobile app, making the
possibility for growth accessible
and accepted by the community.
Due to the service's success,
the agency is considering a potential expansion in the future
that could include a wider zone
to include more businesses and
residential areas in the Lewisville
area that would positively impact
the community.
"Our Lewisville Lakeway
On-Demand service is the next
step in DCTA's plan to explore
newer, more cost-effective ways to
provide service to its customers,"
Suarez said.
Kayla Laird is
communications
coordinator for
DCTA.

http://www.MassTransitmag.com

Mass_Transit_March_2020

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