Our partners
Overview
Spare is committed to making transportation fairer for everyone we work with. That starts with helping our partners to lower the cost of every trip.
We improve operational efficiency, smoothly integrate with existing services, support new growth opportunities, and help transit agencies meet industry standards. Ultimately, our goal is to empower our partners to put their riders first.
Spare Platform powers a wide range of different service types, from microtransit and paratransit services (and services that commingle both), to non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) and university services. The majority of trips taken on Spare Platform are microtransit and commingled microtransit/paratransit trips.
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Through innovations like Rider App updates, back-office automation, efficient call centers, and Spare Open Fleets, we’ve helped reduce trip costs significantly:
• Microtransit costs have dropped by 45%
• Paratransit costs have dropped by 30%7
These savings for our partners can translate into expanded coverage or longer service hours, which directly benefit riders.
A 47% decrease in cost per trip with Spare Open Fleets
Spare Open Fleets taps into ridehail and taxi services, allowing agencies to expand capacity without investing in vehicles. For example, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) in Collin County used Lyft drivers during peak times, cutting costs by 47%.
On-demand transit works best alongside public transit, not in competition with it. Spare helps partners maintain fixed routes where they’re effective, such as high-density corridors, while filling gaps with on-demand services. This approach keeps communities connected, healthier, and more sustainable.
Enabling riders to transition from personal vehicles
Over 50% of our riders ditch the option of a private vehicle (their car or a taxi) to take their on-demand trip, primarily for essential travel like work, healthcare and education. Nudging car users towards on-demand transit is a great thing, because it avoids congestion and air pollution locally. Weaning people off cars also means they are more likely to consider public transit as an option for future trips – a virtuous cycle that promotes a transit-oriented future.
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Extending service hours for late night travel
27% of all microtransit trips and 8% of all paratransit trips on our platform occur between 9pm and 4am—hours when public transit is often limited. On-demand services offer safe, convenient options during these times, complementing fixed route systems.
The electric revolution in public transit
Since 2022, the distance traveled by riders in electric and hybrid vehicles on the Spare Platform has doubled every year, totaling over 15 million kilometers. That’s 9% of all trips.
By adding more EVs to their fleets, transit agencies are helping create cleaner air, quieter streets, and significantly lower emissions—building a greener future for everyone.
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7. We calculate the average cost of running microtransit and paratransit by using average per-vehicle hour operational costs reported to us by our customers, and the proportion of trips booked through the app versus call-centers.