Episode 47
Expanding Your Reach: Leveraging TNCs in Transit
This week we bring you a special episode sponsored by Uber Transit. Across the U.S., Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) are filling important gaps in transit networks. From giving rides to late night shift workers to helping elderly and disabled riders access the world around them, TNCs make sure "transit deserts" aren't "mobility deserts."
Recently, Paul sat down with Bonnie Epstein of Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), Carlos Cruz-Casas of Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works, and Robert Betts from Marin Transit to talk about the different ways TNCs, have not only transformed their transit networks, but their communities as well. PSTA was the first agency in the U.S. to work with Uber Transit to help late night shift workers get to and from work when regular transit wasn't running.
Since its start in 2016, PSTA has helped thousands of people get to work, break into the workforce, and grow their careers. Now this model is being used in Miami-Dade to re-connect riders with the larger transit system after their system reorganization, and in Marin County on-demand transit is letting their aging population age in place and still stay active in their community.
This episode is sponsored by Uber Transit, who recently published Transit Horizons 2.0: The Mobility Evolution. This industry perspective paper explores how public-private partnerships have and can enhance public transportation. It’s available for download at uber.com/transithorizons.
Coming up next week we learn about all the improvements being made in Boston by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in an interview with MBTA COO Ryan Coholan.
Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com
- Host: Paul Comfort
- Producer: Paul Comfort
- Editor and Writer: Tris Hussey
- Executive Producer: Julie Gates
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00:00 Expanding Your Reach: Leveraging TNCs in Transit
01:07 Episode Overview and Sponsorship
01:57 Guest Introductions
04:36 Marin Transit: Catch A Ride Program
05:38 PSTA: TD Late Shift Program
08:24 Miami-Dade: Better Bus Network Solutions
11:32 Discussion on Transit Innovations
17:21 Marin County
17:21 Personal Stories and Impact
24:32 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Modaxo Inc., its affiliates or subsidiaries, or any entities they represent (“Modaxo”). This production belongs to Modaxo, and may contain information that may be subject to trademark, copyright, or other intellectual property rights and restrictions. This production provides general information, and should not be relied on as legal advice or opinion. Modaxo specifically disclaims all warranties, express or implied, and will not be liable for any losses, claims, or damages arising from the use of this presentation, from any material contained in it, or from any action or decision taken in response to it.
Transcript
I remember back at around 2016 17 time frame when Nat Ford, who at the time
Speaker:was chair of APTA, the American Public Transportation Association, he was also,
Speaker:as he is today, CEO of Jacksonville Transit Authority, kind of led our
Speaker:industry To change the definition of what public transit agencies were about
Speaker:and the way I interpreted what he told to us because I was CEO of the MTA in
Speaker:Baltimore at the time and was on the board of APTA, was he said we need
Speaker:to change the way we view ourselves as no longer do we have a monopoly on
Speaker:provision of transit services in a city.
Speaker:Now we are the aggregators of mobility services in a city.
Speaker:And little by little, transit agencies across the country adopted that approach
Speaker:until today nearly everyone has moved in that direction and now see themselves as,
Speaker:yes, we're providing bus and fixed route transit and rail, but we're also embracing
Speaker:TNCs and taxi cab companies and others to help us provide more mobility in a city.
Speaker:I'm Paul Comfort and this is Transit Unplugged, the world's leading public
Speaker:transportation executive podcast.
Speaker:On today's episode, we're going to dive into that even more and talk about
Speaker:the use of TNCs like Uber, Lyft, and others like UseRV and SilverRide and
Speaker:taxicab companies and others in the use of expanding public transportation,
Speaker:expanding the reach of public transit, serving new rider segments, enhancing
Speaker:equitable transportation and ensuring continuity during disruptions.
Speaker:Today's episode is the first ever in seven years that is sponsored by someone in
Speaker:addition to Modaxo, our parent company.
Speaker:This is the This episode, is sponsored by Uber Transit, and they recently published
Speaker:a study, called Transit Horizons 2.
Speaker:0, the Mobility Evolution, and this podcast is going to be talking to
Speaker:three public transit agencies who are using TNCs to expand the reach
Speaker:of their public transit service and their mobility service in the city.
Speaker:Robert Betts is the Director of Operations and Service Development
Speaker:with Marin Transit in Marin County.
Speaker:California, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Speaker:He has over 20 years of experience in the transit industry and, he joined, Marin
Speaker:Transit 14 years ago after starting his career in transportation consulting.
Speaker:He'll join us, as does Carlos Cruz-Casas.
Speaker:Carlos is the Chief Innovation Officer at Miami Dade in Florida, County Department
Speaker:of Transportation and Public Works.
Speaker:His primary focus is to introduce mobility innovation and plan for
Speaker:a fully integrated transit system.
Speaker:And we also have with us Bonnie Epstein.
Speaker:Bonnie works at PSTA, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority.
Speaker:She started there in 2015 in the planning department and 2020 she became
Speaker:Director of Mobility Services and they manage the paratransit program, the
Speaker:transportation disadvantage program, and their mobility on demand programs.
Speaker:And over the last three years, ridership on their mobility on
Speaker:demand program has increased.
Speaker:has expanded and now two thirds of all paratransit trips are taken on demand,
Speaker:saving PSTA over $20,000 each month.
Speaker:This is an amazing program, a great look in depth into what's happening in
Speaker:using third party contractors, TNCs, in expanding the reach of public mobility,
Speaker:all on this episode of Transit Unplugged.
Speaker:Now, let's join the conversation with these three great transit leaders.
Speaker:Great to have with us today some amazing guests who are going to be talking about,
Speaker:really one of the hottest trends happening in the last few years overall, not just
Speaker:here in America, but over the whole world.
Speaker:And that is the role of third party contractors, TNCs like Uber and Lyft
Speaker:and, other companies who are interested in helping public transit agencies
Speaker:provide mobility, to passengers.
Speaker:and our guest with us today, excited to have with us is, one
Speaker:of them is a good friend of mine, actually, Carlos Cruz-Casas,
Speaker:who is with us from Miami Dade.
Speaker:Carlos, welcome, my friend.
Speaker:Yeah, good morning, morning.
Speaker:How are you guys?
Speaker:also Bonnie Epstein from one of the pioneering agencies in America when
Speaker:it comes to using TNCs like Uber.
Speaker:Bonnie, thanks for being with us today.
Speaker:Oh, thank you so much.
Speaker:I'm so excited to be here and talk about, transit with all of you.
Speaker:And then, Robert Betts from Marin Transit.
Speaker:Robert, thanks for being with us today, my friend.
Speaker:Thanks for having me, Paul.
Speaker:Where is Marin, Robert?
Speaker:Marin County is on the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge in the San
Speaker:Francisco Bay Area, so we're right across the Bay from San Francisco.
Speaker:So you're one of those 26 agencies that have public transportation around
Speaker:the, around the, the, the Bay Area?
Speaker:Correct.
Speaker:One of many.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:So tell me some about your on demand transportation services
Speaker:there and how it works.
Speaker:Yeah, so our current program, which, which we call Catch A Ride, similar to
Speaker:a lot of voucher based subsidy models that many transit agencies have, we
Speaker:currently work with Uber, Lyft, local taxi providers to offer discounted
Speaker:rides for our eligible residents.
Speaker:I think what makes it a little bit unique is we, we really focus the program on
Speaker:older adults and those with disabilities, specifically here in Marin County.
Speaker:So Catch A Ride, how long has that program been like a program?
Speaker:Catch A Ride started actually back in 2010, but it's gone
Speaker:through many different iterations.
Speaker:it started as, as a traditional voucher based program just
Speaker:with the taxi operators.
Speaker:We actually incorporated a microtransit element into that program in 2018.
Speaker:and then, most recently, actually during the pandemic, we expanded that
Speaker:program to include our TNC partners.
Speaker:Okay, that's great.
Speaker:And Bonnie, tell us about your program there, how it got started in Pinellas
Speaker:County, Suncoast Transit, in, near the Tampa Bay Clearwater area, south
Speaker:of Tampa Bay, where you're at there.
Speaker:Tell us about your program some.
Speaker:Yeah, so our TD Late Shift program, uh, we started that in August of 2016,
Speaker:shortly after we started our first last mile pilot program, Direct Connect.
Speaker:And really, the TD Late Shift program helps low income riders get to or
Speaker:from work overnight between 10 p.
Speaker:m.
Speaker:and 6 a.
Speaker:m.
Speaker:when our buses aren't running.
Speaker:We know that many of our riders use the bus.
Speaker:we really wanted to make sure that riders who use the bus our service
Speaker:and have a second or third shift job could still rely on PSTA.
Speaker:To join our program, riders need to qualify for our Transportation
Speaker:Disadvantaged Program and then just show proof of a job between 10 p.
Speaker:m.
Speaker:and 6 a.
Speaker:m.
Speaker:Once approved, the riders can take up to 25 trips per month on the
Speaker:provider of their choice, Uber, Lyft, local taxi or local wheelchair, and
Speaker:only pay $20 for the monthly bus pass and the late shift service.
Speaker:And how's that paid for, Bonnie?
Speaker:So right now, we've been using, state funding for that service.
Speaker:A grant, that we started getting in 2016, through the, Commission
Speaker:for Transportation Disadvantage.
Speaker:It's a Florida state program, as, the, the main.
Speaker:We're paying for the service.
Speaker:Yeah, One more question, too.
Speaker:Take us back to, if you don't mind, I remember seeing, I don't know how long
Speaker:ago it was, maybe 10 years ago, I don't know, when you guys, you were like the
Speaker:first ones in the country, right, Brett?
Speaker:He hired Uber to help out, like, last mile or first mile.
Speaker:Tell us about that, because that was, at the time, groundbreaking, and now
Speaker:pretty much everybody's doing it.
Speaker:Yeah, you know, both the Late Shift program and our Direct Connect
Speaker:program that I mentioned before, were one of the first, partnerships
Speaker:between a transit agency and Uber.
Speaker:And, you know, really back then, we were trying to figure things
Speaker:out as we went, you know, between data sharing, contracting, how
Speaker:we were going to do payments.
Speaker:it was really just We'll do our best and figure it out, it's been really exciting
Speaker:to see how much, not just our partnerships and programs with Uber have grown, but
Speaker:now there's a whole division at Uber, contract bases, a whole set way of doing
Speaker:things, and, you know, transit systems now can just you know, learn from what
Speaker:we've done and, you know, there's, I don't know, 50, 60 agencies now working with
Speaker:TNCs, that, you know, just started from back in 2016, our one little partnership.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:I mean, I, I wanted to call out Brad Miller, because he really
Speaker:was a pioneer and stepped out when other folks hadn't done this.
Speaker:And, uh, He saw the value of the service.
Speaker:It was providing the customers and also the economy and
Speaker:efficiency, Carlos, to the agency.
Speaker:Do you all see that in Miami as well?
Speaker:Tell us about your program.
Speaker:Certainly.
Speaker:Certainly.
Speaker:Paul and Sino, I feel that we are in our comfort zone here, right?
Speaker:We'll get able to.
Speaker:Talked to my own friends, but I remember 2015, when we reached
Speaker:out to a PSTA about their program and how we can learn about it.
Speaker:That was a time that we're actually looking into
Speaker:introducing on demand transit.
Speaker:And this is a different flavor of what kind of goes through, but, great
Speaker:programs have led to where we are today.
Speaker:So, we have done several partnership with, uh, with TNCs, Ubers and
Speaker:Lyft and taxis, as you can imagine.
Speaker:but we have, right now one that is, has been very close and near to my heart
Speaker:because is, is to support what all the agencies are looking to do right
Speaker:now is to change our bus networks to actually meet the demands of the state.
Speaker:So last November, we changed our entire bus network.
Speaker:We did what everyone thought impossible, right?
Speaker:Miami Dade County, a large environment, over 900 buses, 99
Speaker:bus routes, changing overnight.
Speaker:We were able to do so, and the way we did it is actually to put buses where
Speaker:buses belong and actually increase the number of frequent corridors running
Speaker:every 15 minutes or less every, you know, in some routes, some routes
Speaker:every seven and a half minutes or less.
Speaker:We reduce our footprint.
Speaker:We simplify our network.
Speaker:however, the service area was increased because we introduced an
Speaker:augmented or on demand transit program.
Speaker:So now have better service.
Speaker:However, there were still some areas in Miami Dade County
Speaker:that were left behind, right?
Speaker:And it's not a moment for us to actually use transit in a
Speaker:way that leaves people behind.
Speaker:So what we did is actually trying to engage with the community, listen to those
Speaker:concerns, and within a couple of weeks, we were able to launch what we believe was
Speaker:a very reactive and appropriate program.
Speaker:It's called the Better Bus Network Solutions Program with Uber, in which
Speaker:we actually brought back service along some of those corridors that were, left
Speaker:behind in the implementation of the Better Bus Network, and some of the corridors
Speaker:that were actually introduced with on demand transit, where people are still
Speaker:learning the system, we throw in, we threw in the, the voucher program, by now at
Speaker:the month of, by the month of November.
Speaker:August we have served more than 85, 000 trips in these quarters alone, right?
Speaker:So we started seeing the need and that has helped us not only to first
Speaker:understand that this is a great value, 85, 000 trips, Paul, with an average
Speaker:cost of about $9 per trip, you know, and these are not areas that, you
Speaker:know, high frequency buses go through.
Speaker:These are areas that before were low productivity bus routes,
Speaker:you know, costing us $45 per passenger, 55, $5 per passengers.
Speaker:So it's very effective for us to do so.
Speaker:And now also it gives us a lot of insights.
Speaker:You know, what we need to do now.
Speaker:Can we now introduce, several changes to our bus routes?
Speaker:You know, now, through this effort, we're able to say, okay, this doesn't
Speaker:qualify for a big bus, bus route, but having able to introduce a,
Speaker:what we call a, a fixed route light.
Speaker:we now introduce a new program called MetroLink, and it's a service with
Speaker:a 15 passenger van that runs along some of these corridors, right?
Speaker:So, this iteration and providing, solutions for folks that need to get
Speaker:places, but at the same time, learnings from our planners to actually provide
Speaker:a better service has been, cost effective, and illuminating the fact
Speaker:that, from now, it is changing the way that we think about transit as a whole.
Speaker:And, you know, as you guys know, I'm executive director of the North
Speaker:American Transit Alliance, which is the big contractors like TransDev,
Speaker:Keolis, National Express, which now, by the way, is called WeDriveU, and,
Speaker:and RATP DEV and MV Transportation.
Speaker:So all of us coming together in one big community to provide, Better
Speaker:service for the end customer.
Speaker:That's what it's all about.
Speaker:Right, Robert?
Speaker:Isn't it really about, I mean, like the, like Stephen Covey said in his Seven
Speaker:Habits of Highly Effective People, it's all about beginning with the end in mind.
Speaker:And the end we have in mind is service to people, providing them access
Speaker:to all of life's opportunities.
Speaker:And if we can do it in a cost efficient way by using third party contractors who
Speaker:may be able to provide it a little cheaper and also have maybe, even better customer
Speaker:service stats, I mean, that's pretty cool.
Speaker:What do you think, Robert?
Speaker:Yeah, you know, we're a contract provider for all of our services, whether it's
Speaker:our fixed route, our demand response.
Speaker:We actually have contracts for yellow school bus service here in Marin County,
Speaker:so we've always relied on our partners to, to help us deliver services.
Speaker:I do think that even during the pandemic we, when we felt the pinch of driver
Speaker:shortages and other cost escalations, we had to look beyond our, our current
Speaker:resources and, and that's really where, where we made the pivot to start to work
Speaker:with, with Uber and Lyft and, and, and take advantage of those other mobility
Speaker:resources right here in our community.
Speaker:Carlos, I mean, have you seen the same thing there too?
Speaker:Is it, do you, do you feel like it's a cost effective solution?
Speaker:the thing is that we are now, and I love how the theme of this
Speaker:conversation is about extending the reach of transit, right?
Speaker:And that can mean a lot of things, right?
Speaker:There's nothing that can compete with a well run fixed route
Speaker:service that is frequently carrying a lot of passengers, right?
Speaker:So we have conversations, you know, we have a bus route in Miami Dade County that
Speaker:carry more than 20, 000 passengers a day.
Speaker:Right?
Speaker:And that is more than the Tri-rail commuter rail on the three
Speaker:counties in South Florida, right?
Speaker:It's a bus route.
Speaker:Imagine that, right?
Speaker:So that is an effective bus route, right?
Speaker:In order for us to continue to grow those areas, you know, we
Speaker:need to dedicate the resources.
Speaker:The resources are, you know, finite, right?
Speaker:We don't have an extensive number of buses out there.
Speaker:So what we see it is, it is more cost effective for us to reallocate
Speaker:resources from other low productivity bus routes into this bus route, make
Speaker:this more efficient, and also to use other, you know, third parties,
Speaker:innovative approaches to actually provide service in other areas, and
Speaker:all of a sudden seeing the benefit.
Speaker:And I see that because not only the costs have come down, right?
Speaker:If you think about it for that particular trip, the cost came down.
Speaker:But now, because I put more resources, the ridership has gone up
Speaker:on the regular bus service, right?
Speaker:There's no better marketing than frequency for buses, right?
Speaker:We have seen, I'm thrilled about this, right?
Speaker:We have seen through the Better Bus Network, more than 12 percent
Speaker:ridership increase on a weekday.
Speaker:Just in the changes, right?
Speaker:This is again to the tune of by reallocating our resources in
Speaker:a cost neutral manner, seeing that, and we're able to do so.
Speaker:And I think there's a lot of conversation about, you know, transit deserts, right?
Speaker:And remember those days, Paul, when we're talking about transit deserts,
Speaker:it was like, and That, that's just, we don't talk about transit desert.
Speaker:That was back in the day.
Speaker:Now is, you know what, it's okay to have a transit desert as long
Speaker:as it's not a mobility desert.
Speaker:And I think this is where all these things kind of come through and allow
Speaker:us to actually be more efficient with the resources that we have.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Bonnie, that's what you guys are doing there, right?
Speaker:I mean, so you may have a few people that need rides in various areas at night,
Speaker:their late night shifts or whatever.
Speaker:It's not enough people to justify a 40 foot bus to run a full route.
Speaker:But instead, you've got the opportunity to have Uber and Lyft drivers and
Speaker:other people that are already out there suddenly picking people up and
Speaker:taking them where they want to go.
Speaker:Yeah, you know, I call that leveraging the existing capacity of the
Speaker:network that's already out there.
Speaker:And I love that we can take advantage of that.
Speaker:and provide service overnight where we wouldn't really be able to otherwise.
Speaker:You know, whenever we do rider surveys, one of the top concerns
Speaker:we always hear about is span.
Speaker:Pinellas County has a lot of tourism.
Speaker:I'm sorry, Carlos, but we have America's number one beach, according
Speaker:to our advisor, Clearwater Beach.
Speaker:Available
Speaker:. It's a great beach body.
Speaker:I've been there.
Speaker:It's a great beach.
Speaker:Yes.
Speaker:Awesome there.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker:We got a lot of great beaches here.
Speaker:I know Miami does too.
Speaker:but, you know, a lot of our riders don't work their traditional
Speaker:nine to five service hours.
Speaker:and, you know, we we're one of the most underfunded transit
Speaker:systems, in the country.
Speaker:And so we, we can't provide that level of service that we like to even
Speaker:during the day, let alone overnight.
Speaker:so we really need to get creative and figure out how can we, still provide
Speaker:service to these riders, at a, you know, while still being cost efficient.
Speaker:So I did a little analysis recently and, you know, to run our core route network
Speaker:overnight, that's about eight or nine routes, once an hour, so between 10 p.
Speaker:m.
Speaker:and 6 a.
Speaker:m., it would cost us about six and a half million dollars annually.
Speaker:And to run the late shift program, we're spending under 400, 000 a year,
Speaker:and really giving the riders that need it the most the service that they need.
Speaker:Um, the cost per trip is pretty low, you know, $16, $17 a trip, we
Speaker:wouldn't be able to provide this service, without partners like Uber.
Speaker:And it's phenomenal to see it that way too because again, our communities are very
Speaker:dynamic and not every day is the same.
Speaker:Even not every Wednesday is the same, right?
Speaker:So by having opportunity and not having the dedicated in those particular times.
Speaker:The day that you don't have that large amount of people going the same
Speaker:direction at the same time, the on demand component gives you the flexibility to
Speaker:just serve what needs to be served and not basically and be able to get those
Speaker:resources and apply somewhere else.
Speaker:Yeah, Robert, tell us about that there in Marin, tell us about the
Speaker:demographics there and some of the top priorities of your riders.
Speaker:Yeah, great, great question.
Speaker:So, there's a couple areas that Marin County consistently, not only in the
Speaker:State of California, but nationally, ranks number one and number two.
Speaker:One of those is life expectancy.
Speaker:Our residents average life expectancy is over 85 years old, and, you
Speaker:know, we project that one in three residents here in our county will
Speaker:be over the age of 60 by 2030, and that's right around the corner.
Speaker:So that goes into a lot of the planning work that we do to make sure that our
Speaker:mobility services are really geared toward the future needs, of our residents.
Speaker:What we're starting to see now is those residents are staying in their homes.
Speaker:really we're defined more now by a healthy, active, aging community than
Speaker:we are as a suburban bedroom community.
Speaker:we do have pockets of poverty, we have mobility challenges, a lot
Speaker:of our residents, may be house rich, but cash poor, and, so that's
Speaker:really where, we focus our resources to help support those residents.
Speaker:And you told me a funny little story, I thought, that, that kind of showcases
Speaker:the personal nature of the mobility that we're providing to people.
Speaker:Tell us about that story, about the photos that were sent to you all.
Speaker:Thank you.
Speaker:Yeah, so one of, one of the benefits in in bringing on our TNC partners
Speaker:was expanding our service area.
Speaker:So our, our existing, programs that, that, whether it was agency operated,
Speaker:micro transit, or paratransit, they have very defined service area boundaries.
Speaker:The TNC program really opened up that service area and, one of our early
Speaker:adopters, Who I think was a little skeptical of the program, as soon as
Speaker:she enrolled in the program and started to use the vouchers, we started to get
Speaker:these selfies of, of her enjoying the recreational lands here in Marin County,
Speaker:so, it was, it was a nice, a nice, email that we could pass around to all staff
Speaker:and, it, it just kind of showcased some of the expanded mobility we were offering.
Speaker:Don't you guys have, like, the big redwoods out there?
Speaker:We do, so we're home to Muir Woods.
Speaker:Yeah, Ben, that's amazing.
Speaker:Yeah, we do run the Muir Woods Shuttle in partnership with the National
Speaker:Parks out there, so you can also take that service if you're here in Marin.
Speaker:Yeah, I
Speaker:gotta tell people who are listening, if you've never seen these redwoods,
Speaker:there's like nothing like them on earth.
Speaker:I mean, you're just in awe when you stand there.
Speaker:It is, it is like one of those moments where you're really communing with nature.
Speaker:You've got some, you've got some great things out there, Robert.
Speaker:I agree.
Speaker:Yep.
Speaker:Bonnie, has anything ever funny like that happened with
Speaker:you and your, your operations?
Speaker:Yeah, you know, one of the things that I was thinking about with
Speaker:our, our late shift services when we first started it, we thought.
Speaker:Okay, you know, we've got to make sure we have enough money because once
Speaker:people join, they're going to, they're going to be on the program for forever.
Speaker:but one of the things that we learned is that, riders, when, when they're looking
Speaker:for a job, sometimes the job that they can get, Is that overnight shift and
Speaker:they want to get their foot in the door.
Speaker:so you may take a shift that's overnight at Taco Bell or McDonald's, but over time
Speaker:you, you know, don't need that anymore.
Speaker:You get put on the day shift or like we've heard from a couple of riders.
Speaker:they make enough money now that.
Speaker:They don't, they don't need the program.
Speaker:They're able to save up and buy a car or move, you know, into a
Speaker:new home, where they're closer to a bus route or something.
Speaker:And, you know, that was something that we didn't really think that we'd hear
Speaker:that, Riders can, you know, use the program for the amount of time that they
Speaker:need, and it just really helps them in that, you know, most time of need, but
Speaker:then they can either get a, you know, the day shift, or earn enough to get
Speaker:a car, and they don't need us anymore, and that opens up, the program for, new
Speaker:people, and they can just sort of cycle through and use it when they need it.
Speaker:Carlos, it sounds to me like, kind of in, in summarizing what we're hearing
Speaker:today, maybe you can help wrap us up, that when, when, public transit
Speaker:agencies are looking for solutions, they want to extend the reach of
Speaker:their public transit, so there might be gaps, right, that we talked about.
Speaker:They don't want there to be mobility gaps, so using a third party
Speaker:contractor, like an Uber or other companies, can help Close that gap.
Speaker:It can also help new rider segments that Bonnie was talking about, where you've
Speaker:got late night workers and others who are on non traditional shifts, where maybe we
Speaker:don't have frequent bus service that, you know, we don't want them standing outside
Speaker:the hospital for an hour, you know, while they wait for the next bus, so this
Speaker:gives them an opportunity to have that.
Speaker:It also enhances equitable transportation, so there's senior and communities
Speaker:that Robert was talking about that maybe would not have access to
Speaker:this type of service that now do.
Speaker:And then also, we haven't talked about it a lot, but I've seen it used also in
Speaker:ensuring continuity during disruptions that these third party contractors,
Speaker:like an Uber, can be an option.
Speaker:These cars are already out there and they're just like extending the
Speaker:network opportunities, the mobility opportunities of a transit agency.
Speaker:What say you?
Speaker:I think it's phenomenal, right?
Speaker:It's exactly what it is, right?
Speaker:It is actually being part of the transit network, right?
Speaker:So we talk about extending the transit, the regional transit.
Speaker:To me, it's redefining how we provide transit.
Speaker:And to your point, it's providing that trip, right?
Speaker:And I say to all that is, is how all this kind of fits together.
Speaker:Ultimately, our role is to provide public transportation in a sense that
Speaker:can people have access to opportunities.
Speaker:And now we have in our tool belt, right?
Speaker:A lot more tools to use, not only bus and rail, but bus and rail and
Speaker:on demand transit and TNCs, right?
Speaker:And all these things are coming together.
Speaker:Like shortly in a, in a of weeks, we're going to start seeing how we're
Speaker:going to start dispatching Uber trips through our MetroConnect program,
Speaker:which is our on demand transit program.
Speaker:So not only that we have several voucher programs, but now enriching
Speaker:the experience of someone using on demand transit programs to get to where
Speaker:they need to go and to Bonnie's point of view too is now we can actually
Speaker:have a different span of service that can be a more adaptive, right?
Speaker:So we maintain our fleets, you know, up to 8 PM, but people go for
Speaker:dinner and they don't want to go.
Speaker:back home at eight o'clock.
Speaker:So this is where, you know, this dispatch trip to Hanover can take
Speaker:you back home a little later, right?
Speaker:So it is not only providing the access to places out there, but allowing you to
Speaker:live the life that you want to be, right?
Speaker:Using the service that a transit agency like Miami Dade County,
Speaker:Pinellas County and Marion County can actually provide for their residents.
Speaker:Well, you've got great leadership there at your agency, Carlos, you know, not
Speaker:only were you there, but also with my good friend, Ulois Cleckley, and also
Speaker:your chief operating officer, who used to work with me, in Baltimore, Sean Adderson.
Speaker:So you've got a great leadership team there and, uh, good commitment
Speaker:to all things, exciting there.
Speaker:I mean, we just had Ulois on the show recently talking about your
Speaker:brand new, we don't have time to talk about it today, but your
Speaker:brand new battery electric vehicle.
Speaker:Bus garage that's coming, that's going to house, you know, these massive 60
Speaker:foot buses that are coming your way.
Speaker:Just exciting times down there in Miami and Bonnie with your group.
Speaker:Congratulations.
Speaker:A pioneer still leading the way.
Speaker:And Robert, making sure that one of the, one of the wealthiest
Speaker:counties in America is providing the service that their citizens deserve.
Speaker:Congratulations to all of you on using all the assets that are at your
Speaker:disposal to provide amazing mobility.
Speaker:And thank you for sharing your stories today.
Speaker:Yeah, thank you so much.
Speaker:This was an awesome conversation.
Speaker:Thanks, Paul.
Speaker:All right, Carlos.
Speaker:You know, I'll see you down there soon.
Speaker:Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Transit Unplugged.
Speaker:Hi, I'm Tris Hussey editor of the podcast, and I'd like to thank our guests.
Speaker:Carlos Cruz-Casas, Bonnie Epstein.
Speaker:And Robert Betts for their time to appear on the show.
Speaker:We'd also like to thank Uber Transit, the sponsor of this episode.
Speaker:Uber Transit recently published Transit Horizons 2.0.
Speaker:The Mobility Evolution.
Speaker:An industry perspective paper exploring how public private partnerships can and
Speaker:have enhanced public transportation.
Speaker:It's available for download at uber.com/transit horizons.
Speaker:You can also find the link in the show notes.
Speaker:Next week on the show we had to Boston to hear from Ryan Coholan
Speaker:COO of the MBTA.
Speaker:And learn about how Boston is leveling up its entire network From
Speaker:buses, to commuter rail, to ferries.
Speaker:Plus you have to hear about Ryan's commute into work.
Speaker:We're pretty sure this is the most unique commute you'll come across in transit.
Speaker:Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo.
Speaker:At Modaxo, we're passionate about moving the world's people.
Speaker:And at Transit Unplugged, we're passionate about telling those stories.
Speaker:So until next week, ride safe and ride happy.
