Stretching transit budgets without sacrificing service

Transit agencies across North America are facing serious budget pressure—especially when it comes to paratransit. In places like Palm Beach County and Pittsburgh, service cuts and trip denials are already making headlines. And the reality is, the pressure to do more with less isn’t going away.

But cutting service isn’t the only way to lower costs. In fact, it can backfire—leading to lost ridership, frustrated staff, and even more community pushback.

There’s a better way.

“Spare’s track record of cost control, reliable product, and its people will do much more than upgrade East Bay Paratransit’s operating platform. Instead, it promises to elevate the commute to medical facilities, schools, workplaces, and social engagements for some of the Bay Area’s most deserving riders.” — Michael Hursh, CEO and General Manager at AC Transit

By running more efficiently—not less—you can save money, reduce burnout, and still deliver high-quality service. Here are three practical ways to do just that.

Automate manual tasks to reduce dispatcher workload

When something goes wrong—like a driver no-show, vehicle issue, or sudden traffic delay—your team has to react fast. But relying on manual fixes every time creates bottlenecks and burnout. That’s where real-time optimization makes a real difference: it lets the system respond instantly, without waiting on dispatcher intervention.

Spare Engine constantly evaluates every trip, vehicle, and rider need—reshuffling manifests and rerouting vehicles every 30 seconds. Features like Automatic Overrides and Targeted Optimization adjust for last-minute changes on the fly, so you’re not relying on staff to manually reassign rides or troubleshoot routes.

One Spare partner saw a 30% drop in trip lateness after enabling real-time optimization.

✅ What that means for your team:

• Fewer delays and missed connections
• Less dispatcher overtime
• More predictable, hands-off dispatching, with manual control when required
• Fewer rider complaints and escalations

“During the dial-a-ride to ADA paratransit software transition, it used to take the team 4 hours every day to come up with the paper manifest for the next day. They would have to stop booking at noon. With Spare, it saves so, so much time. Now, folks can book later till 5:30 pm. We don’t need the buffer anymore.” — Angela Costentino, Director of Transit Operations, GATRA

Improve fleet utilization to reduce third-party costs

Third-party trips can be expensive. So can empty miles. But with smarter scheduling and trip grouping, you can get more value out of the vehicles already on the road.

Spare helps you group common trips together like group homes or dialysis appointments (with Recurring Trip Groups), automatically adjust on-demand trips when fixed routes are disrupted, and rebalance your dedicated vs. non-dedicated fleets—so you’re not over-relying on one or the other.

These tools helped a Spare agency partner reduce third-party usage by 32%, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars.

✅ What that means for your agency:

• Better pooling and fewer half-empty rides
• Lower cost per trip
• A more flexible, resilient operation

Use rider self-service tools to lower call center costs

If your riders are still calling in for every booking or schedule change, your call center costs are probably climbing. Rider self-service tools can help cut that down—while also giving passengers more control.

With the Spare Rider app, passengers can manage their own trips and get real-time updates if something changes. But self-service doesn’t have to mean digital-only.

For riders who prefer to book by phone, tools like AI Voice and Chat let agencies offer 24/7 support without stretching staff thin.

That was a game-changer for Auburn Transit. When a budget cut forced them to eliminate their only dispatcher role, Transit Manager Greg Bowen suddenly found himself responsible for both running the system and answering phones. To keep operations moving, he turned to Spare’s AI Voice and Chat tools.

The results speak for themselves: call to dispatch dropped by 70%, and AI now handles routine ride requests—freeing Greg up to focus on bigger-picture needs.

“AI Voice handles most of the quick calls, like ETA checks, so that I can focus on the riders who need more help. It’s taken a huge load off.”— Greg Bowen, Transit Manager, Auburn Transit Services

✅ What that means day to day:

• Fewer calls to manage—and shorter wait times
• Lower administrative costs
• Greater flexibility for riders, whether they book by phone or online

Why cutting transit service often costs more in the long run

We get it—sometimes it feels like the only option. But when you reduce service, you risk:

• Losing riders for good
• Keeping fixed costs while serving fewer people
• Burning out your staff with frustrated calls and complaints

Efficiency gains, on the other hand, scale across your system and make the most of what you already have.

Cut transit costs without cutting service

You don’t have to choose between cutting service and overloading your staff.

With the right tools in place, you can cut costs, improve performance, and make life easier for both your riders and your team. No shortcuts. No tradeoffs.

Want to see how much your agency could save?

👉 Book a demo or get in touch to see how Spare can help you cut costs without cutting service.

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