In September, Melissa Bruntlett, director of and content creator for Modacity Creative, travelled to Delhi as a part of the Delhi Deep Dive organized by the Global Network for Popular Transportation. The following is a reflection of the potential she observed to support greater accessibility to transit for American cities.
To provide for a variety of trips through micromobility sharing, a lot of attention is given to solving the first- and last-mile connection for residents in large cities. Programs like bike- and scooter-share don’t fill that gap, but ride-hailing services like Lyft and Uber can. Combined with public transport networks that incorporate buses, trams, and subways, most people would be forgiven for assuming that Americans across the country have access to so much choice that any transportation challenges for those who don’t or cannot drive of the past have been all but solved.
When stepping outside medium- and large-scale cities, however, these services become less reliable and sometimes non-existent. A repercussion of lower ridership due to COVID-19 combined with ongoing budget cuts to transit agencies has caused a significant decrease in frequent and reliable public transit service for small and rural communities. Where shared mobility services support some of these gaps in more populated areas, the distances required to travel coupled with externalities like lack of safe infrastructure to cycle on, lack of a mobile phone, and even lack of credit card means that even if e-bike and e-scooter share was available, it remains unrealistic and not viable for private companies to set up these schemes in low-density areas.
So, what can be done to address increasing transit deserts without forcing people to move to more populated – often more expensive – areas? Enter popular transportation.
Microtransit by another name
Many of us are already familiar with popular transportation, also known as informal transport, or public transportation not organized by a public or private agency, but instead by individuals or groups. Popular transportation fleets usually consist of tuk-tuk’s, rickshaws, motorbike taxis, etc., most frequently seen in the Global South, where local or state sanctioned public transit either doesn’t exist or is insufficient.
Throughout the week in Delhi, popular transportation could be seen all around, and particularly at mobility hubs like Metro stations and bus depots. The ubiquitous yellow and green three-wheel rickshaws fill the streets, moving passengers quickly and economically from these hubs to other destinations throughout the city not reachable by public transportation. Interestingly, in discussion with local experts it was revealed that some of the biggest users of the rickshaws, as well as motos – motorcycle taxis – are household services workers who live close to their places of employment where bus travel is inefficient, but footpaths and cycle lanes are in poor condition or non-existent, making walking and cycling unsafe.
In the USA, popular transportation is developing in a similar yet publicly organised system known as microtransit. While not taking the form of two- and three-wheelers like rickshaws or motos, transit agencies and local governments have recognized that although the cost to run frequent and reliable buses may be unsustainable, they can fill that gap with vehicles (four- and six-passenger vehicles) that can be requested on-demand for people who cannot drive but still need to be able to access everything from employment to health services to simply staying socially connected by attending community activities.
An option for the most of us
The reality is that no matter where people live - small, medium, or large cities – they will always need transportation to support their daily activities.
"People will always find a way to move, even if the planned system doesn't offer something," Andrea San Gil famously said.
This inevitability can present a number of serious implications. For those for whom driving is simply not an option such as children, disable people, or those who cannot afford to own a vehicle, it can mean the difference between accessing education, employment, extra curricular activities, and social outlets. For older adults who have spent a lifetime driving for their daily needs, it could mean continuing to drive past the time when it safe to do so, endangering not only themselves but other road users, or risk suddenly finding themselves isolated from the very things that have brought them joy.
Investment in and support for microtransit is an excellent way to address the gaps in the public transportation network to ensure that regardless of age, ability, income, and even geographic location, even residents in the most rural locations can maintain access. Additionally, by ensuring these services can be organized not just by an app but also by being able to call a number to book a ride ensures that for those residents without access to mobile phones can still access these vital services, utlimately reversing the effects of transit deserts.
The potential is limitless
Looking ahead, the growing prevalence of microtransit presents limitless potential for providing transportation choices to cities and towns throughout America. However, much like the concerns around empty autonomous vehicles circling cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles waiting for their next booking and negatively contributing to already congested road networks, the current microtransit model often means vehicles moving through the network with just a single passenger.
One solution would be to provide an option operating like a bus, picking up several passengers all travelling to a similar location. While this could reduce the number of vehicles required on the streets for several similar trips, the logistics to planning such a system would be challenging and could ultimately impact the efficacy and efficiency of the system.
Perhaps a page can be taken from cities like Delhi, incorporating smaller vehicles into the fleet that take up less space on the road and more effectively and economically move one or two passengers. As the technology continues to improve, there are an increasing number of electric rickshaws being produced. For small cities and towns in the US, these nimble and affordable machines could help transport residents within city limits to places like the local market, community and health centres, and schools, leaving larger vehicles for longer trips, and ultimately contributing to a more pleasant experience when visiting the town center.
As the future of mobility continues to change rapidly with new technology and innovation, by looking beyond our borders, we can draw inspiration from places that have been solving mobility challenges informally but successfully for years. Through the collaboration of transit agencies and local and regional governments, popular (micro)transit can become an essential and cost-effective strategy to ensure everyone’s access is addressed and no one is left behind.
