Micro-Transit: Filling in Public Transportation Gaps

During her orientation for the Resilience Corps, Mary-Kate was first introduced to the concept of micro-transit as a necessary step towards improving public transportation systems. After taking a deep dive into the system herself, she shares how implementing micro-transit supports sustainable and inclusive communities. She elaborates upon how micro-transit could decrease the need for single-occupancy vehicles, access more people in the community, and provide for a more convenient travel experience while acknowledging current limitations. 

Mobility matters. It is imperative to have systems in place for people to easily and efficiently move around in order to meet their daily needs. Systems for mobility, such as readily available public transportation, are especially important on a municipal-level, as this is where people most regularly access services, employment, and community. The problem is that single-occupancy vehicles reign supreme, with around 85% of Americans relying on personal cars as their primary means of transportation to work [3]. One study found that 80% of people with a car reported they felt they had no choice but to drive due to inadequate public transportation systems [4].

Considering the fact that transportation is the leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions [5] and we are facing a climate crisis, we must find alternative means of transportation through alternative fuel vehicles and improving our public transportation system. While this requires a multi-faceted approach, improvements to public transportation have been identified as one vital way to support sustainability by decreasing emissions from single-occupancy vehicles [7].

There is, however, currently a gap in access to public transportation. Traditional fixed-route mass transit currently serves as the predominant type of public transportation, but there are many technical and social disadvantages to this type of service. Mass-transit infrastructure does not translate well to rural and suburban areas, and the traditional fixed-route poses challenges to many vulnerable populations. One promising solution to the lack of infrastructure and fixed-route inadequacies is a system called “micro-transit”.

An example of a micro-transit shuttle van. (Source: Microtransit - American Public Transportation Association)

Micro-transit is an on-demand service similar to ride-share programs like Uber and Lyft, where a person can use an app to request a pickup and drop-off location anywhere within designated boundaries and hours of operation. It’s a flexible system where the rider can access needed resources not aligned with a fixed-route. This expands the reach of where people can efficiently travel, decreases the wait time for people with timeframes that don’t effectively align with fixed-route schedules, and reduces overall travel time. The “curb-to-curb service” gives autonomy to the commuter to curate a ride experience that best suits their needs.

In densely populated areas, this type of service could not necessarily replace mass-transit since the vans and shuttle-buses used have less capacity, but it can definitely supplement for residents who need to access resources in locations distant from the fixed-route. This is helpful to people without access to a car or license, physical limitations, and who have non-traditional schedules. Micro-transit, therefore, not only makes municipalities more sustainable by expanding public transportation options to reduce reliance on cars, but also more accessible to everyone.

Reliance on single-occupancy vehicles is particularly high in suburban and rural areas.  These areas typically don’t have pedestrian friendly infrastructure or the funding for fixed-transit operations due to lower population density. The scale of operation for mass-transit would also be disproportionate with the variation in population, potentially wasting resources. Micro-transit’s flexibility to adjust the scale of operation ensures public transportation is available in all geographic regions without overpaying for infrastructure or overusing resources. It also optimizes the usage of vehicles by eliminating large busses driving around without any passengers.

The current accessibility consideration with micro-transit service is the reliance on technology needed to access the service. Not everyone has a smartphone or reliable internet access, especially in rural areas where micro-transit would be a stand-alone public transit option. This points towards a need for greater broadband access in rural areas and a customer service hub where agents can assist clients with their booking and ride needs.

While there are some considerations that need to be addressed, the implementation of micro-transit would help create more equitable, sustainable transportation options that could help diminish our total emissions.

Taking steps towards reducing the number of vehicles on the road by improving public transit will make for a much more pleasant environment both physically and visually. Space currently dedicated to parking garages and large parking lots paves over our greenspaces, and I would love to see a world with more grass and less pavement.  

Sources

[1] AECOM & UrbanTrans North America. (2023). Microtransit Literature Review & Case Studies. GoMaine. https://www.maine.gov/mdot/transit/docs/2023/MaineDOT%20Microtransit%20White%20Paper%20FINAL.pdf

[2] Balsam, Emma & Verrill, Kaylei. (2023). Microtransit: A flexible, cost-effective, and sustainable mobility solution. Inner City Fund. https://www.icf.com/insights/transportation/microtransit-flexible-sustainable-mobility-solution

[3] Burrows, M., Burd, C., & McKenzie, B. (2021). Commuting by Public Transportation in the        United States: 2019 (Report No. ACS-48). U.S. Department of Commerce. https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2021/acs/acs-48.pdf

[4] Data for Progress, TransitCenter, Ian L. McHarg Center for Urbanism and Ecology, & Socio-Spatial Climate Collaborative. (2020). Voters Want a Better Transit System For America. https://www.filesforprogress.org/memos/gnd-for-transit-polling.pdf

[5] Fast facts on transportation greenhouse gas emissions. (2024) US Environmental Protections   Agency. Retrieved January 2024 from https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/fast-facts-transportation-greenhouse-gas-emissions#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Inventory%20of,U.S.%20GHG%20emissions%20in%202022

[6] Liezenga, A. M., Verma, T., Mayaud, J. R., Aydin, N. Y., & van Wee, B. (2024). The first mile towards access equity: Is on-demand microtransit a valuable addition to the transportation mix in suburban communities? Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 24, Article 101071. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2024.101071

[7] Welle, B., Kustar, A., Hein Tun, T.,  Albuquerque, C. (2024). Post-Pandemic, public transport needs to get back on track to meet global climate goals. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/insights/current-state-of-public-transport-climate-goals

About Mary-Kate

Mary-Kate is from Covington, Louisiana. She graduated from Washington and Lee in May 2023 with a major in Sociology and minor in Poverty and Human Capability. Through her studies, she deepened her understanding of how communities are shaped by historic, social, cultural, and environmental contexts, and developed a passion for promoting community resilience and environmental justice. Wanting to explore each corner of the country while devoting herself to environmental stewardship, Mary-Kate has worked as an Outdoor Education Program Instructor in California, Recreation Ranger in Colorado, and organic farm hand in New York. She is elated to join the Resilience Corps to learn more about community-led approaches to environmental planning and advocacy, all while exploring Maine. In her free time, she enjoys doing any outdoor activity, listening to comedy podcasts, reading, cooking, and exploring new places.