RideCo, in partnership with Metropolitan Tulsa Transit Authority (MTTA), Unwire, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), is powering an exciting new on-demand microtransit program in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Since August 2020, the riders of MTTA have been able to plan their transit journeys and purchase their passes from the award-winning GoPass® app, delivered by DART through Unwire’s Mobility Platform.
Tulsa residents are now presented with new choices in the GoPass® solution, including full integration with RideCo’s on-demand microtransit platform. The new integration empowers the riders to plan, book, pay for, and track their multimodal journey across traditional fixed routes and on-demand microtransit, enabled by RideCo.
Public transit is no longer simply the traditional modes such as fixed-route buses and trains. Although these remain the backbone of public transit, alternative modes of transportation need to be considered when assessing how to make mobility more equitable and accessible. By integrating RideCo’s on-demand microtransit platform with MTTA’s existing mobile ticketing and trip planning solution, the rider avoids the hassle of having to download multiple apps to execute their end-to-end journey. Multimodal journeys are now seamless and easy to navigate.
How Does It Work? When requesting a trip in the GoPass® app, riders are matched with the best available option and the trip is then serviced by a fleet of vehicles in the designated area. On-demand fits around the user, not the other way around. It offers a solution to first/last mile problems, short point-to-point trips within a zone, and connections to transit hubs, enabling more access to traditional public transit. In addition, on-demand microtransit trips are affordable as they are included in the standard transit offering, providing more access to a broader range of users.
“MTTA’s vision is to make transit easily accessible for all citizens. Greater flexibility and superior rider experience will encourage more people to use transit,” stated Scott Marr, General Manager at MTTA. “Our new partners RideCo and Unwire have helped make our vision a reality as we launch the on-demand service. It is now completely integrated with all modes of transit, making end-to-end trip planning on a single app a reality.”
Industry Partnership
The integration is supported by a strong partnership between Unwire and RideCo that will enable agencies using Unwire’s Mobility Platform to leverage the innovative Unwire-RideCo integration in their solutions.
“We are delighted with the new integration of RideCo in our Mobility Platform. It ties into the very core of what Unwire’s platform is all about, and we are looking forward to following how this new integration will support the transit operations of MTTA,” said Rikke Espe, Chief Commercial Officer at Unwire.
“DART and MTTA have maintained a multi-year partnership to jointly deliver world-class mobility solutions powered by DART’s GoPass® app,” said Gregory Elsborg, VP and Chief Innovation Officer at DART. “The integration of RideCo with GoPass® enables Tulsa to add flexibility to their service offering while expanding rider options. We have learned a lot through operating DART’s GoLink service. It has been our pleasure to share these learnings in support of a successful rollout for Tulsa’s on-demand program while working with new and long-standing partners in RideCo and Unwire.”
“RideCo is constantly looking for ways to continue driving innovation through integrating with other platforms to further enhance public transit and connect more riders to the fixed-route system,” stated Prem Gururajan, Founder and CEO at RideCo. “Working alongside Unwire, DART, and the team at MTTA, we have created a personalized experience for riders, one that’s convenient, efficient, and affordable.”
