A turning point for paratransit innovation

At this year’s CUTA Fall Conference & Transit Show, AI dominated the conversation and for good reason. As agencies across Canada navigate resource constraints, ridership growth and rising pressure to modernize, AI is emerging as a practical lever for transformation.

During the event, Spare’s Senior Product Manager for AI, Ben Laval, took the stage to unpack what AI could actually mean for transit agencies – moving beyond the hype to operational value. His perspective echoed a key question on the minds of many leaders:  

How can transit agencies use AI to improve service delivery not by replacing the workforce, but by helping teams work more efficiently. 

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Why transit is ready for AI

Transit has seen major shifts over the last few decades from digital scheduling, real-time tracking, mobile ticketing. Each shift removed friction for riders and made service more reliable. 

AI represents the next wave, but it needs to look different here than it does in the private sector. Transit runs on real-world complexity; routes, riders, weather, ad-hoc service changes and disruptions and more. Agencies don’t just need chatbots; they need AI that speaks transit, systems that understand service patterns, local data, and the day-to-day challenges of running reliable service. The real power of AI isn’t in what it can say – it’s in what it can do: helping staff make decisions faster and solving problems before they grow. 

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Three ways AI can deliver meaningful impact 

Ben laid out three areas where AI could have real impact — not by replacing people, but by solving the right problems at the right scale:

1. Turning data into decisions, faster

Agencies have no shortage of data: GPS feeds, ridership stats, telematics, complaints. But accessing insights often takes days or weeks of back-and-forth.

Imagine an AI assistant that understands your network and can surface the right data instantly. A tool that helps planners prepare for a board meeting or operations teams troubleshoot a service issue — no manual digging required.

2. Automating everyday workflows

Transit teams are stretched thin. Even small improvements in daily operations can go a long way.

Take paratransit no-shows: today, a driver might wait while dispatch calls a rider to confirm. But what if that call could be handled automatically by AI, in real-time? That kind of automation could reduce wait times, keep vehicles moving, and improve reliability — all without adding staff.

3. Supporting staff, not sidelining them

AI isn’t just about replacing tasks. It can also assist — especially when human judgment still matters.

In the case of rider complaints, for example, AI could review trip history, detect patterns, and draft responses based on the facts. A staff member would still review and approve — but they’d spend less time investigating, and riders would get faster, more consistent answers.

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AI won’t transform transit overnight. But it doesn’t have to.

The key message from CUTA’s AI discussions was clear: transit’s AI future will be incremental, not instant. The greatest value will come from not just one AI feature, but hundreds of automated AI workflows, each designed to be context-aware, and rider-focused. For transit leaders, now is the time to experiment – to pilot tools, explore where automation fits and prepare teams for AI-enabled workflows. 

The path from hype to impact

At Spare, we’re exploring how AI can help agencies do more with the teams they already have. That means freeing up time, improving reliability, and creating space to focus on the work that really matters: delivering great service. 

Want to talk more about the future of AI in transit?

We’re always open to sharing ideas, learning from agencies, and exploring what’s next. Reach out to our team →

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