In a previous post, we discussed the history of the ADA and the impact it’s had over the last 25 years. The ADA returned civil liberties to millions of Americans and worked to make transit accessible for all.
Even with the incredible achievements the ADA has made, there is still room to grow. In celebration of the ADA, we want to PLEDGE ON and commit to another 25 years of making transit more accessible.
Over the next 25 years, the transit industry will undergo monumental changes. An increase in ridership, the rise of private transit and new technologies will change transit as we know it. So, how do we keep going? At the 2015 Trapeze User Conference, we were fortunate enough to host a panel of industry leaders to discuss the future of the ADA and its effect on the industry. Let’s explore what the industry’s leading experts believe to be changes we’ll see in paratransit.
The panel discussed many different topics but they all agreed that in the future, riders will take transit as a choice and not out of necessity. But this isn’t going to happen overnight - we have some work to do.
In the future, we’ll see even more integration. Soon riders will be able to seamlessly move between paratransit and fixed route vehicles to complete their trips.
With the help of new technologies, disabled Americans can capitalize on fixed route buses. They want to be able to plan their trip using both paratransit and fixed route solutions. Ron Brooks, Manager of Accessible Transit Services joined the discussion, and stated “The company that can figure out how to build a technology platform that allows me as a person who uses transit and paratransit, to be able to plan my entire transportation in one place, those are the ones who are going to make the trend and move the industry.”
Consider this. About 58% of all adults are on Facebook, 21% are on Instagram and 19% are on Twitter. Social media is huge – and its adoption rate is growing (Source: Pew Research Center). This means in the next 25 years the number of users on social media is only going to grow.
Working with social media can present a big opportunity for your agency. Giving your users the technology to plan their trip through social media makes transit more accessible and adds an exciting twist to an otherwise monotonous task. You can even take it a step further and allow riders to book trips with theirs friends through Facebook or Twitter to reach new levels of ridership. Ron Brooks expressed his interest in social media’s role in transit stating “Social media can be used to leverage transit by planning your trip on Facebook!” Integrating with social media can turn transit into not only a choice, but a way to connect your riders with friends. This means more riders, more trips and way more revenue.
Private transit is experiencing massive growth and making lots of noise – but it may also be presenting an opportunity.
We all know how expensive paratransit can be, and we’re starting to see agencies adopting new strategies for their fleets. They’re shrinking. Agencies are relying less on dedicated fleets and vehicles and instead capitalizing on services like taxis or Uber. “The bottom line is that paratransit systems are relying on smaller vehicles, smaller fleets of dedicated vehicles and are relying on other services that can augment service” said Ron Brooks. Capitalizing on flexible service offerings allows paratransit agencies to control costs, increase efficiencies and realize incredible results.
Here’s where the ADA comes into play. We need to make sure that as private transit evolves and changes, we need to create public policy that protects the interests of Americans. “What can we do from a public policy standpoint so that 5 years from now we don’t look back and think these systems grew into something that didn’t help people?” said Keith Forstall, Product Manager at Trapeze Group. Creating regulation that shapes the growth of start-ups like Uber can lead to an integrated system to better serve Americans.
So, what’s next? Now it’s time for you to join the conversation. Do you agree with these trends or do you see the ADA taking a new direction? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments below and discuss the future of the paratransit industry.
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