Spare, AC Transit, BART partner up to modernize paratransit services across Bay Area

To improve accessibility and overall experience with public transportation for individuals with disabilities, Spare has partnered with Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). The collaboration aims to modernize paratransit services across the Bay Area, integrating Spare's fully automated transit platform to replace the outdated and manual system.

"AC Transit and BART have a proud history of jointly providing Americans with Disability Act (ADA) complementary paratransit services for the past 30 years. Over the decades, however, innovations like GPS, vehicle capacity, traffic sensors and more have revolutionized the on-time performance and frequency of public transit but have not blazed the same trail in paratransit,” said Michael Hursh, CEO and general manager of AC Transit. "As a result, the policymaking boards of each Bay Area transit agency have awarded Spare a $4.5 million contract to overhaul the nearly 25-year-old East Bay Paratransit (EBP) system’s operating platform. Spare's turnkey implementation will soon offer EBP the modernity of dynamic vehicle optimization, self-service trip booking and cancellations, all-new call center features and a contactless paratransit fare payment application, to name a few.

"Spare's track record of cost control, reliable product and its people will do much more than upgrade EBP's operating platform," Hursh continued. "Instead, it promises to elevate the commute to medical facilities, schools, workplaces and social engagements for some of the Bay Area’s most deserving riders."

Spare notes EBP also has the opportunity to commingle their paratransit with future microtransit services and leverage the combined fleets to offer extensive flexibility to riders and achieve even greater cost efficiency.