Winnipeg launches on-demand microtransit pilot

Winnipeg Transit will launch its first on-demand transit app this week as part of the Canadian city’s efforts to modernise its network.

The service will run on three routes, using trip planning software and GPS technology to plan bus routes in real-time and respond to passengers’ trip requests immediately, with customers able to book rides through the Winnipeg Transit On-Request mobile app, using a web browser, or by calling 311.

The city had previously operated a dial-a-ride transit (DART) service, where customers could call drivers operating its three routes directly, but the lack of an integrated system meant the process was inefficient and needed to be modernised.

“The bus could go whatever way it wanted in order to accommodate ride requests, but those requests were made via an iPhone that the driver had on them at all times,” Adam Budowski, Transit Planner, City of Winnipeg told Cities Today.

“They had to have a headset and answer calls directly from passengers while they were driving these routes and if they got a request, they would then have to use a pen and a paper map to determine where they were going in real time.”

“You can probably guess what happened – a lot of times they might not be able to pick up a call, or they were overwhelmed by driving, routing and all the other stuff that’s involved in the job.”

Integrated process

Passengers will get step-by-step directions through the app after requesting a trip, including walking directions from their trip origin to the pick-up location, the approximate time an on-request bus will meet them at the pick-up location, and an estimate of the total trip time.

While passengers will still be able to call an operator to organise a trip, the city is hoping passengers will embrace the new technology.

“When people book through the app, it makes things so much easier on us in the city, as it doesn’t require any additional resources for someone answering a phone to book someone,” Budowski added.

Throughout the 1990s, dozens of Canadian cities initiated dial-a-ride transit (DART) services, where commuters would call bus drivers directly to organise a pick-up, but by the mid-2000s, most had stopped their services.

The cost of the pilot project is CAD$140,000 (US$111,000) which was funded by a technology grant from the city’s Innovation & Technology Department.

“I’m pleased to see the On-Request Transit service pilot project being implemented so quickly after the 2021 Balanced Budget Update,” said Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman.

“Across our country, all transit services grapple with how to supply the most accurate service to meet the unpredictable changes in demand. This pilot project will use innovative software to address those unpredictable changes in demand in a way that has seen success in cities across Canada.”

Image: Winnipeg Transit