The Routing Company, Kitsap Transit mark start of commingled on-demand and paratransit service on Bainbridge Island

The Routing Company (TRC) celebrated the Kitsap Transit (KT) launch of commingled on-demand and paratransit service – powered by TRC’s Ride Pingo app – on Bainbridge Island in Washington state.

The service was first announced by TRC in September when KT announced its additional five-year contract with TRC to extend on-demand transit to expanded areas of Kitsap County.

KT is the transit agency in Kitsap County, Wash., part of the Puget Sound region. TRC has been serving KT with on-demand transit for more than two years.

Commingled transit services (meaning vehicles are used for both paratransit and regular on-demand services at the same time) were launched by KT in early December, first starting on weekends. The new deployment is part of KT’s plan to introduce on-demand and flexible services across four new zones in Kitsap County. The launch of weekend commingled service on Bainbridge Island follows the first expansion of on-demand services in Bremerton, as part of the reintroduction of Sunday transit service.

TRC is supporting KT’s on-demand transit needs with its full suite of Pingo products – including flexible on-demand stops using Pingo Flex™ and allowing riders to see fixed route bus times with Pingo Journey™.

"Kitsap was our first U.S. customer and is a trendsetter and hugely innovative transit agency. The launch of commingled service in Bremerton and on Bainbridge Island is an exciting milestone for many reasons,” said James Cox, CEO, TRC. “It expands access to transit for so many and does so with incredible efficiency for both the operator and the rider. Further, it is a point of celebration of our long-standing relationship with Kitsap Transit, with whom we have innovated our products to become better and with whom we have expanded to four active services: on-demand, flex, paratransit and dial-a-ride.”