Morrisville Public Transportation Study

Methods & Models of Service Delivery

Smart Shuttle Smart shuttles are a newer service type that applies ride-hailing and trip planning technology to public transportation. It is typically a public-private partnership where a company is either contracted to operate the service for a public transportation agency or provides software to support agency vehicles and operators. Vehicles tend to be passenger vans or cutaway vehicles. Smart-shuttle service has the potential to stand in for fixed-route service in a lower ridership area or provide service to a previously unserved area. Smart shuttles are highly adaptable because the routes, stops, and schedules can be fixed or flexible. Trips can be scheduled by the operator, set up ahead of time by customers, or available on-demand. Service can be curb-to-curb or have designated pick-up and drop-off nodes. Smart shuttles are often introduced as a pilot program to test demand for fixed-route transportation. Smart-shuttle service works best in markets where customers utilize public transportation daily for consistent purposes, such as work trips. However, unlike fixed-route or demand-response services, Smart shuttles respond actively to market demand: for example, providing access to jobs during peak commute times and then adjusting to provide access to shopping in the evenings, as customer travel patterns shift throughout the day.

Operating Benefits

Operating Challenges

 Cost per Rider: High cost per rider due to long distances traveled by riders to varying destinations  Operating Cost: Need adequate number of vehicles in service to guarantee fast response times

Adaptability: Service shifts with travel demands through the day Convenience: New technology is convenient and user friendly, and most systems aim to guarantee fast response times Geographic Coverage: Provides service in areas that lack the population density to support fixed-route service

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Operating Needs

Passengers per Hour

Paratransit

Capital Needs

Technology Needs

 Salary/benefits  Fuel  Maintenance  Insurance

 Vehicles  Smart-shuttle hubs  Vehicle storage facility  Employee workspace

 Software Platform (e.g. Via, TransLoc)

3 – 6

Not Required

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