The Town of Pittsboro is working to create an on-demand rideshare service. The emerging microtransit system would expand transit options in town, particularly for evening and weekend riders.
Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp recently told 97.9 The Hill how the transportation project follows previous town discussions about having a shuttle or trolley system in the community.
“What we’ve shifted that to now is microtransit – so, a transit on-demand system that will operate throughout Pittsboro and not just a specified route,” Shipp said. “It looks like that’s actually going to start now in mid-August, so more to come as that rolls out. That’s been a multi-year project to get something going there, and I’m really excited to have it operating.”
Shipp said on-demand transit is in high demand for Pittsboro, as current options offered through the Chatham Transit Network (CTN) are sparse. Its curb-to-curb service requires a reservation at least 48 hours in advance, with service available from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. Routinely, scheduled rides operate only along fixed routes and on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Currently, Chatham Transit is the best public transit option for residents in Pittsboro. But with the service covering the entire county, rides are scheduled instead of available on-demand. (Image via Chatham County.)
The expansion of transit options is also key as Pittsboro prepares for and experiences population growth with the future Chatham Park, Asteria, and Reeves Farm developments.
“We’re limited here still at this point in terms of Uber coverage and Lyft coverage and things like that,” Shipp added. “There have been a couple events where people would prefer not to drive after them, and [they] didn’t have a whole lot of options.
“We also want to make sure that everything stays connected,” Shipp continued. “You go to dinner downtown, then go out to The Plant and enjoy some music out there, and then go up to MOSAIC. We want to help make all those connections, and that was the original intent of the trolley setup, but this transit on-demand will actually be a little bit more flexible and expandable than that.”
Unlike popular rideshare apps, local microtransit typically offers lower costs and shorter wait times, while also employing professional drivers using dedicated vehicles. It also better provides transit to rural and difficult to serve areas. The service can benefit ADA riders as well, with more flexible trips and opportunity for accessible rides.
Pittsboro is just one North Carolina community working to expand its on-demand transit options, which means the town is not starting at square one in terms of planning, according to Shipp. The City of Wilson spearheaded the state’s use of microtransit in 2020 by way of NCDOT, and it has serviced more than one million rides since.
“[They’re] seeing really positive impacts in those communities,” the Pittsboro mayor said. “We’re not completely going on our own here. There’s a lot of research behind that method of microtransit.”
Featured image by Brighton McConnell/Chapel Hill Media Group.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Pittsboro to Expand On-Demand Rideshare Options with Microtransit Service Chapelboro.com.
Hence then, the article about pittsboro to expand on demand rideshare options with microtransit service was published today ( ) and is available on chapelboro ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Pittsboro to Expand On-Demand Rideshare Options with Microtransit Service )
Also on site :
- Oscar Mayer Turned a Viral TikTok Trend Into a Real Cake for the Wienermobile's 90th—Here's How to Get It
- The rise of ‘conspicuous waiting’: The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
- Zillow Group Securities Fraud Class Action Arising from Alleged Anticompetitive Agreement and Related Regulatory Risks - Investors May Contact Lewis Kahn, Esq., at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC