METRO Magazine recognizes TRC partners Chillicothe Transit System and FAST with 2024 Innovative Solutions Awards
Deployments in Ohio and California celebrated for improving efficiency, increasing accessibility, and enhancing the passenger experience
August 1, 2024 – New York, New York, USA: The Routing Company (“TRC”), a global leader in on-demand vehicle routing and management solutions, proudly announces that it and two of its partners (customers) – Chillicothe Transit System (“CTS”) and FAST – have been honored METRO Magazine's Innovative Solutions Awards for 2024.
The awards recognize innovative solutions that have significantly enhanced operational efficiency, improved safety, streamlined operations, and increased ridership in the public transit industry.
CTS is the public transit system operating fixed routes, and general public on-demand transit within Chillicothe city limits and the surrounding Ross County in Ohio. With a fleet of 25-vehicles, CTS supports an annual ridership of approximately 150,000.
CTS reinvigorated its transit network with TRC, transitioning away from legacy software and toward demand-responsive services. The agency was specifically recognized for its integration of multiple transit modes into a single place (TRC’s Pingo™ platform), enhancing both operator efficiency and rider satisfaction. Immediately following new service launch in early 2024, the agency realized several notable improvements:
- Improved utilization: boosted fleet utilization by 22%, with drivers completing over 4 trips per hour, compared to 3 trips previously,
- Shorter wait times: achieved an average wait time of 20 minutes or less, and
- Higher trip fulfillment: Increased trip fulfillment rate from 60% to 83%.
To date CTS has moved more than 25,000 passengers with Pingo™. CTS Transit Coordinator Amy Arnold remarked, “We are thrilled to partner with The Routing Company to bring our transit services to the next level of efficiency and reliability. With TRC’s cutting-edge technology and expertise in route optimization, our passengers have experienced a significant improvement in their commute.”
FAST is the public transit system in the City of Fairfield, California, providing fixed route, on-demand, and commingled paratransit service delivering more than 350,000 rides per year (“commingled” means vehicles are used for both paratransit and regular on-demand service at the same time).
The agency was awarded for its innovative approach to operating commingled paratransit and microtransit services using TRC’s Pingo™ platform. By commingling services, FAST Transit:
- Maintained high on-time performance: maintained a 99% on-time performance rate.
- Doubled on-demand ridership: saw a 100% increase in trips within the first month.
- Enhanced the rider experience: achieved a 4.8 out of 5 average rider trip rating.
FAST Transportation Director Diane Feinstein highlighted the community impact, stating, “It’s convenient to have two transit modes managed through one platform. By offering commingled services, people that need paratransit services can instead take transit on-demand and enjoy the spontaneity, reliability, and expanded accessibility of truly equitable transportation. This service is truly a contributor to community building and connection.”
TRC’s award-winning Pingo platform includes the Drive Pingo™ and Ride Pingo™ apps and the Pingo Dashboard™ operations management tool, which together provide on-demand, paratransit, fixed, shuttle, and flexible transit that enhances ridership of existing transit networks.
Pingo has moved over 1.5 million passengers to date. For more on TRC’s deployments and results, visit theroutingcompany.com/casestudies. To explore a pilot with TRC, visit theroutingcompany.com/pilotapplication.
About TRC
Founded by MIT researchers and rideshare industry veterans, TRC is a global on-demand vehicle routing and management platform that partners with cities to power the future of public transit. Leveraging proprietary and unrivalled artificial intelligence, TRC delivers routing from multiple points of demand to one vehicle while enabling greater transit equity, accessibility, cost efficiency, and sustainability. Its leading product, the Pingo™ app, offers on-demand or advance trip requests and can operate in on-demand, flex, fixed, or paratransit mode.
With a team spanning eight countries, TRC directly supports international operations and customer growth through hubs in Canada, Hungary, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Learn more at theroutingcompany.com.
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