Microtransit: Episode 11

Microtransit services are emerging across the country amid a wave of tech hype. Cities, transit agencies, and private companies nationwide are launching microtransit pilots left and right. Today, on The Red Line Podcast, we examine the microtransit trend and discuss whether it lives up to the marketing. Links and stuffs Merch:https://shop.trlpod.com/ Twitter:@TheRedLine_pod YouTube channel:The Red Line Podcast Spotify:The Red Line Podcast Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/theredlinepodcasters Email:[email protected] Website:https://www.trlpod.com/ Timestamps 00:00 Intro: Microtransit (thanks, Silicon Valley) 00:24 The News 00:24 Crossrail (Elizabeth line) opening[1] 00:42 Tempe, Arizona streetcar opening[2] 01:03 Theme song 01:34 Editor's note: industry obfuscation 02:24 A consultant's "definition" of microtransit[3] 03:12 Microtransit: state-subsidized Uber Pool 03:33 The trouble with point-to-point 04:50 As run by a transit agency 05:32 Vehicles 05:55 Origins: dollar vans & jitneys; NYC subway strikes 06:45 Manila's "Jeepneys" 07:20 Helsinki's Kutsuplus route-deviated buses 08:00 Meet the startups: Via, Bridj, Chariot, and Split 09:17 Transit agency branding 09:47 Arguments for microtransit 10:13 Equity 10:40 Accessibility: similar to paratransit 11:36 Speed & wait times 12:13 Convenience: automobility & walking 12:56 First- & last-mile (or more) connections 14:02 Lower cost (BS) 14:17 Covid safety nonsense; train/bus ACH 16:55 Microtransit in the real world 17:11 Chariot went out of business 17:50 KCMTA's pilot failure 18:41 Rarely netting above 5 rides per vehicle per hour 19:50 Operating costs & rideshare 21:54 Arguments dismantled [4] [5] 22:16 Equity (it's worse than a regular bus) 23:09 Point-to-point is unnecessary 23:41 Bikes & bike infra please 24:29 KCMTA should've spent the money on a bus 25:02 Accessibility: good point. Paratransit should be better. 25:54 Speed & wait times: both are way worse than fixed-route 27:00 Convenience: irrelevant (see wait times) 28:05 Contributes to road congestion 29:33 First- & last-mile: walk, bike, roll 30:32 Lower costs: literally false 30:42 Microtransit is a bad idea (grand conclusion) 31:05 The Kutsuplus is a route-deviation bus done better 31:36 Cop-out to avoid fighting to improve service 32:35 Bike infra please 33:13 Opportunity cost[4] 33:51 Don't let your transit agency do this 34:33 Outro References & notes [1]TfL: All aboard the transformational Elizabeth line [2]Valley Metro: Streetcar is now open in Tempe [3]FTA: Shared Mobility Definitions [4]TransitCenter: The Limits of Microtransit [5]Human Transit: What is "Microtransit" For? [6]Bloomberg CityLab: How the Microtransit Movement Is Changing Urban Mobility [7]2020 Annual Agency Profile: LA Metro [8]2020 Annual Agency Profile: Utah Transit Authority [9]Vox: These startups want to do for buses what Uber did for taxi rides [10]Smart Circle: The rise of the Microtransit movement [11]Utah Transit Authority Quarterly Microtransit Pilot Project Evaluation [12]Yann Leriche: Microtransit: The Next Mobility Revolution or Much Ado About Nothing? [13]Streetsblog USA: The Story of "Micro Transit" Is Consistent, Dismal Failure References with conflict of interest [14]Mass Transit: The Role of Microtransit for Better Equity and Inclusion [15]Strong Towns: Transportation's Missing Middle [16]Via: What is microtransit? [17]SUMC MLC: Microtransit Service Expands Operating Hours to Weekends in Jersey City, New Jersey, 2021