Spartanburg Spearheads Innovative $300K Micro Transit Pilot Program
Hey there, Spartanburgians! Get ready for a smooth new way to traverse the town, as Spartanburg unveils its new $300K Micro Transit Pilot Program! Set to fuel up and hit the streets in early 2025, this pilot has been carefully orchestrated with the essential input from the city’s Micro-Transit Pilot Program staff and the SPARTA bus transit team.
This transit venture, principally circulating around the Northside, Southside, and parts of downtown along East St. John, West Main, and South Church streets, is slated to last a full year. But don’t worry, folks! The project managers will conduct a six-month review to assess the pros and cons and revamp anything that’s necessary.
Major Funding and Fleet of Vehicles
Fully funded by the SCDOT State Mass Transit resources, the city council gave a green light for three premium Ford Transit Vans for this pilot, with one StarCraft Shuttle Bus for SPARTA transit in their Monday meeting. The Transit Vans are kitted out with seven seats and come ready for wheelchair accessibility, while the StarCraft Shuttle chimes in with a dozen seats. The transit vans, priced at a cool $116,258 each, include a backup, ensuring there’s no stopping this commute. Meanwhile, the new bus tips the fiscal scale at $136,467.92.
Cost Coverage, Staffing, and More
The pilot program is anticipated to create jobs for five part-time employees and potentially one full-time employee. With the city’s COVID transit funds taking care of the pilot’s financial obligations (leaving ARPA funds untouched), the estimated cost, including employee-related expenses, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and marketing, is pegged at $394,442.
Streamlined Services and Route Efficiency
The Micro Transit Pilot Program promises to bolster the city’s existing transit efficiency. For instance, under the current system, let’s take a trip from the beloved CC Woodson Community Center on the south side to the handy Pinewood Food Lion. The present bus route calls for a 45-minute ride and a bit of legging it – a one-mile walk. Stepping in with a remedy, the micro transit route will cut back travel time to an easy 10-20 minutes, with the bright and shiny Transit Vans and Shuttle Bus picking up passengers right at their stop and dropping them at their destination, with perhaps just a couple of stop-offs to pick up more riders en route. The best part about it? These new interventions will not interrupt the existing SPARTA bus routes.
Convenient Ticketing and Feedback System
As Spartanburg merges with modern times, the tickets for micro transit rides will cost just $2 a passenger, accepted only through credit card payments. That’s not all! Riders can seamlessly punch in their location, destination, and co-rider info via the innovative SPARE app. Not only can tickets be bought through the app, but it also invites riders to share their feedback on their journey experience.
Plus, the city’s buddying up with Wake Forest University to gather invaluable feedback data through community surveys, including a kick-off survey happening at the end of this year. So make sure you lend your voice, people of Spartanburg – your city values your feedback!
