Greater New Haven Transit District announced the availability of a mobile app and web portal for riders to request and manage their ADA paratransit trip and see where their buses are through their smartphones, tablets, and personal computers.
The app, provided by technology partner Routematch, is designed for Apple and Android devices. Riders who prefer to request and review trips from a computer can also use the app via a web site.
“Our riders want options and this app gives them flexibility to make their own mobility choices,” said Kim Dunham, executive director, Greater New Haven Transit District. “Some riders may prefer to call in while others would rather not wait to request or cancel a trip. Also, clients like to know where their ride is, so they can be ready or know they have extra time to spare while waiting for their ride. Having the map that shows where their bus is in real time gives them that freedom. We consider this Next Gen Customer Service for ADA clients and are ecstatic that it has been so well received.”
GNHTD is a growing transit agency that receives approximately 100 new client applications per month to utilize its elderly and disabled transportation service in the South Central Region of Connecticut.
The mobile app allows GNHTD to manage incoming call volume by lessening the number of reservation, cancellation and estimated time of arrival calls. The management team also expects to benefit from operational efficiencies including fewer no-shows and late cancellations. Caretakers and family members can also benefit from using the GNHTD mobile app to monitor the ETA of family members and loved ones.
“Our goal is to provide a higher level of quality service to our riders while also running our operations as efficiently as possible,” added Dunham. “We are always seeking ways to do this through innovation and improved processes, and technology is part of the plan to help us work smarter, not harder.”
Deployment of the new app is the first step of several to better utilize technology for improved service delivery. Plans are underway to explore same day paratransit service and mobility-on-demand management that offers riders access to other services such as the local fixed route system, transportation network companies as well as first mile/last mile solutions in the New Haven region.
“Greater New Haven Transit District is to be commended for its efforts to help progress on-demand public transit service," said Dennis Solensky, transit administrator at Connecticut Department of Transportation. “The Connecticut Department of Transportation is excited to partner with the GNHTD and our other Districts and Divisions in developing an on-demand service model that can be utilized throughout our state.”
More than 300 clients, over 20 percent of the 1500 active riders leveraging the GNHTD ADA paratransit service, signed up for the new app within the first four weeks of deployment, and the District expects more participants in the coming weeks. Funding partners include the Federal Transit Administration and Connecticut Department of Transportation.
“When I read an article in the Newsletter that GNHTD was asking for volunteers to use this App on a trial basis to schedule their own rides, I was ecstatic and motivated to use this form of technology,” said Betty Fludd, a GNHTD rider. “The Amble App opened up a new way of life for me to get additional benefits of My Ride services. I was able to set up a week's ride in less than fifteen minutes on my cellphone during my leisure time. The App allowed me to schedule and cancel rides as things changed in my life. During the trial basis, I spoke to several riders on the bus, informing them about the advantages of using this service. I was even able to assist two riders who had the App with a couple of questions they were not clear about using the App...I really love this App, and it also allows Seniors like me (age 72) to keep up with the new uses in technology with my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.”
