Sacramento Regional Transit District Deputy Chief Operating Officer Alva Carrasco from Sacramento, Calif. and TransLoc Manager of Business Development Cat Kealey from Durham, N.C. accept Metro Magazine’s “Innovative Solutions Award” during BusCon’s Award Breakfast in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 3, 2018.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., October 4, 2018– TransLoc, a provider of demand-response solutions for agency-owned microtransit, and Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) were honored together with an “Innovative Solutions Award” by Metro Magazine, the world’s most influential trade publication for the transit and motor coach industries. The distinction was awarded yesterday at BusCon, North America’s largest bus show, showcasing the latest industry trends to over 1,300 industry influencers in public and private transit.
The “Innovation Solutions Award” recognizes implementation of new transit initiatives that run more efficiently, streamline operations, improve customer satisfaction and safety, and increase ridership. TransLoc’s technology enables public transit agencies to offer flexible, on-demand ridesharing through a mobile app that provides the responsiveness and convenience riders familiar with TNC services like Uber and Lyft have come to expect.
Highlights of the TransLoc and SacRT partnership include:
- Dial-a-ride modernization: SacRT implemented TransLoc’s technology to automate and upgrade an existing dial-a-ride service, which brought significant operational efficiency while improving the rider experience.
- Quick program launch: Within three months of signing with TransLoc, SacRT launched a pilot for its new “SmaRT Ride” rideshare service in the city of Citrus Heights, a northern suburb in the Sacramento metro area. With the customized ride-hailing service, passengers request rides using TransLoc’s free Microtransit app, on the web or by calling in. Drivers then follow flexible routes into neighborhoods to pick-up and drop-off riders at their homes or businesses. The program is also easily accessible for riders with disabilities.
- Rapid expansion: SmaRT Ride caught on quickly, increasing ridership sixfold in four months. Six weeks after the initial launch, an expansion project was initiated and SmaRT Ride added service to the cities of Orangevale and Antelope, with a direct connection to the Historic Folsom Station. Based on this initial success, additional on-demand services were added six months later in South Sacramento.
- Additional funding: With the proven success from the TransLoc pilot, SacRT was awarded an additional $12 million state grant for future expansion projects. Plus, more funding has been secured for additional expansion of microtransit projects within the greater Sacramento community from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG).
Regarding the recognition, TransLoc CEO Doug Kaufman said, “To me, this award represents more than just innovation as a mobility software company, but also how that innovation impacts people’s lives. People are using transit every single day and it affects so much in their lives. Can they get to the pharmacy to get medicine? Can they get home in time to see their kids after school? Can they get the jobs that pay better? I’d like to think that an award like this is not because we write good code, but because we’re solving these problems that really have impact on people.”
Deputy Chief Operating Officer of SacRT Alva Carrasco said, “Reimagining the role of transit in the smart cities of our future requires transit professionals to get out of the box and find innovative ways to meet the mobility needs of our community. At SacRT, we’re challenging ourselves to make public transit more relevant everyday. I am very proud to accept the award for our SmaRT Ride project on behalf of SacRT. This award helps validate all the work our team and the team at TransLoc put into this effort!”
TransLoc is working with more than 40 cities across to the U.S. to pilot and implement innovative solutions that improve the accessibility and convenience of public transit without raising costs. Contact TransLoc at 888.959.3120 or info@transloc.com to learn more about adding its services to your transit agency’s offerings.
About TransLōc
Hailed by Fast Company as one of the world’s most innovative companies in transportation, TransLoc, a Ford Smart Mobility company*, is the technology provider of flexible agency-owned microtransit solutions that enable public transit to deliver the ultimate rider experience. By offering the expertise to plan and deliver flexible, future-proof transportation solutions with the company’s cloud-based OnDemand microtransit system built for rapid deployment and hands-free operations, TransLoc is enabling transit agencies nationwide to remain central to the future of modern transportation. TransLoc has partnered with hundreds of transit agencies to reach a higher level of service and win the confidence of the riding public for more than a decade. TransLoc is also proud to be a Google Partner. To learn more, visit TransLoc.com or follow us on Twitter at @TransLoc.
About Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT)
The Sacramento Regional Transit District operates 70 bus routes and 43 miles of light rail covering nearly 400 square-mile of service area. Serving the capital city of California, which boast the fifth largest economy in the world, SacRT is committed to developing a world-class transit system with state-of-the-art service.
Contacts
SHIFT Communications for TransLoc
Meg Brenner
TransLoc@shiftcomm.com
617-779-1800
*On March 1, 2022, global technology company Modaxo acquired TransLoc from Ford Motor Company. TransLoc is no longer affiliated with Ford or any Ford properties.