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Population growth is no match for TransitTech in Austin

Written by Via Transportation | Apr 5, 2021 4:00:00 AM

CapMetro at a glance.

  • Geography: Rural, Urban, Suburban
  • Fixed-route fleet: 445
  • On-demand fleet: 17 wheelchair accessible minibuses

How the agency is using Via and Remix.

  • Use cases: First-and-last mile, Network redesign, Public engagement

Capital Metropolitan Transit Authority (CapMetro) faced decreasing ridership and poor transit access for those with limited mobility and financial means. The team knew a thoughtful system redesign was needed, along with a tech-enabled, purpose-built transportation service to better connect the community.

That's when CapMetro partnered with Via to launch a new on-demand service, called Pickup, which provides first-and-last mile service across 6 zones. CapMetro enjoyed a boost in ridership with Pickup compared to previous deviated fixed routes. The agency also leveraged Remix: Not just for network planning, but for quality control checks during the new project, consensus-building with stakeholders, and communicating with the community.

Quantifying the results.

  • 4X growth in Pickup’s ridership vs previous service
  • 50% reduction in cost per passenger vs previous service
  • 3 Pickup zone expansions since launch
  • +9% increase in fixed-route ridership, 6 months after system redesign

What transit leaders are saying.

[Pickup] provides reliable and accessible service in zones….that otherwise have limited access." - Chad Ballentine, VP of Demand Response and Innovative Mobility Remix is our new baseline for lines, stops, any and all planning work. It’s replaced our other tools…. Our team uses it daily.” - Roberto Gonzalez, Director of Service Planning