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Transforming microtransit in Dallas
Spare has been integral to the rollout of our updated GoPass app. Spare enables us to easily plan and operate new on-demand Golink services, and facilitate seamless connections for passengers using DART bus and rail.
Dallas City
Goal
Build world-class on-demand microtransit that integrates with DART's thriving transit system, to provide first-and-last mile options across a massive urban area.
Overview
Together with partners Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Unwire, a front-end smartphone app developer, Spare piloted and launched a truly integrated multimodal transportation system. Spare replaced the legacy on-demand transit software providers for DART, and rolled out the GoPass 3.0 Maas (Mobility as a Service) application. By fully integrating the application with the DART Golink microtransit service, Spare helped to create the largest public on-demand transit service in North America.
Challenges
DART covers the metropolitan area of Dallas, a huge urban area that is home to 7.5 million people. Connecting urban, suburban and rural residents to the city's transit is a challenge.
Many people have trouble completing the 'first or last mile' of their commutes: 28% of all people live more than ¼ mile from a transit stop, and 24% of all jobs are more than ¼ mile from a transit stop.
Their initial launch had struggled because their previous software providers did not allow DART to:
- Deploy a truly on-demand solution;
- Fully integrated into the GoPass multimodal travel planner app;
- Provide automatic real-time brokering to multiple operators.
Solution
One of the key reasons DART wanted to work with Spare was because of our comprehensive Spare Open API. This allowed DART to seamlessly integrate the Golink microtransit service into the GoPass app, creating a truly multimodal travel planner and ticketing solution across the entire transportation network.
Spare Engine, Spare's flexible algorithm, is able to operate a stop-based service as well a door-to-door service, which has proved ideal for DART's needs.
Go-Link was launched in January 2019 in four zones, which quickly increased to 14 zones upon the service being so highly valued by riders.
Results
DART’s GoLink service has transformed how DFW citizens travel. With an average of 17,800 boardings, a month and a 95% rider satisfaction rate, the service has provided immense value to transit riders across the region.
GoLink’s operational costs have decreased by 26% while maintaining the same excellent service quality, thanks to Spare's ability to dispatch to multiple operators.
What’s more, by offering a more accessible public transportation service, DART is reducing the burden on their paratransit service by providing passengers with disabilities the option to use GoLink.
Average trip rating: 95%
Subsidy per ride: -11%
Riders per revenue hour: +14%
Award-winning APTA Innovation Award 2019
