In its first two months of operation, the KARTS FLEX Ride van is living up to expectations. KARTS officials say the goal is to increase ridership with each month of operation – so far, so good.
KARTS Executive Director Randy Cantor said the program is “going really well.”
Finance Manager Tonya Moore has the data to back up that sentiment – in June, the first month of operation for the Uber-style transit that operates within the city limits of Henderson – there were 242 riders. July isn’t even over yet, and ridership is at 253 and counting, Moore said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. She and Cantor discussed the new transportation opportunity available from KARTS.
State and federal dollars are paying for the first three years of the micro transit. KARTS is one of a growing number of transportation agencies getting funds to establish micro transit programs.
“The goal is to increase every month,” Moore said. New passengers, not necessarily the same individuals who use the KARTS van service, are taking advantage of the new, streamlined system.
The door-to-door service helps people get to and from work, to doctor’s appointments or anywhere else within the city limits. Riders can book online, with an app on their phone or simply call the KARTS office to schedule transportation.
And the on-demand service can pick you up within 30 minutes.
“We’re keeping statistics,” Cantor said. “All of our trips have been 100 percent on-time performance. And there have been relatively few no-shows. There’s one vehicle in service now, but a second is available as demands for the service rise. And there’s a third vehicle that can be easily changed from a KARTS van to a FLEX Ride van, he said.
Each trip is $6, and the driver accepts cash, but KARTS said the process is much more streamlined if you pay by card or set up an account that automatically deducts the cost of the trip.
“The majority are scheduling on the app,” Moore said. “That’s exactly what we wanted to see – it streamlines the process for everyone involved.”
Both Cantor and Moore said they believe that ridership will increase further once the weather cools off.
“When it’s extremely hot, when it’s rainy, extremely cold, cancellations increase,” Moore said.
“People don’t want to get out in non-desirable weather.”
Visit https://www.kartsnc.com/ to learn more.
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