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At a glance
BCGo is addressing transport disadvantage for residents in Calhoun County by providing a convenient and affordable door-to-door service. Initially launched in March 2021, the popularity of the service within the community has led to the extension of the pilot program and new investment from local employers to procure more fleet vehicles.
Key Points
- 2 vehicles, soon expanding to 4
- Riders can book from 5 minutes to up to two weeks in advance
- All vehicles are wheelchair accessible
- Countywide door-to-door service
The Problem
According to a Calhoun County Transit study performed by Foursquare ITP, there were approximately 70,000 transit trips provided by current Operators. The estimated demand for annual trips came to 92,000—leaving a shortfall of over 20,000 passenger trips.
There were coverage and service gaps identified across the county where transit and tele-transit services did not operate, leaving vulnerable populations without transportation or access to amenities.
Many members of the community fall within a lower income bracket or have accessibility requirements, making vehicle ownership challenging. This adds pressure to the transit network, as it is a primary means of movement and access to amenities within the County.
The Solution
Battle Creek Transit and Liftango partnered to launch BCGo, a door-to-door on demand service covering a large portion of Calhoun County. Users can book their trip through Liftango’s BCGo app or through a call centre, ensuring booking trips is accessible for those without a smartphone. The service is equipped to accommodate riders in wheelchairs which has been a great benefit to many users in Calhoun county with 6.5% of trips made up of wheelchair users. The service allows users to book trips from 5 minutes to up to two weeks in advance, giving individuals the opportunity to plan their trips, be it to medical appointments, shopping etc. as well as flexibility for last minute journeys.
The Results
- Since the service launched in March 2021 there has been over 18,500 trips completed
- Over 2,700 users have signed up to use the service
- 96% of rides have been completed on time or early
Liftango supported BCGo with the distribution of a user survey and subsequent analysis. Users of the service say that BCGo is helping them solve a range of mobility and transport problems including (1) no access to a car (2) affordability of transport and (3) the stress of the commute.
Rider Quotes:
“I can get to places that the buses couldn’t get me to.”
“It has made things less stressful for me to get around and I am truly thankful for this service”
“I now have an option to get out since being in a wheelchair”
Learnings
BCGo demonstrates the feasibility of on-demand transportation in rural and suburban areas with a lower population density than most other service zones. It has delivered a service that customers really value, leading to an extension of the trial and a doubling of the size of the fleet.
