City Council approves vehicle purchases for microtransit pilot program

At their meeting on Monday, Spartanburg City Council unanimously approved the purchase of new vehicles for a microtransit pilot program launching for the city's northside and southside areas in 2025. In total, the three ADA compliant Ford Transit Chassis Mobilitytrans Conversion Vans to be used in the program will cost $344,803 and will be paid for using state mass transit funds.

Unlike a traditional fixed-route bus system, which operates on a fixed schedule and along a predetermined route, microtransit works similarly to popular rideshare options like Uber and Lyft. Riders use an app to request a ride to their desired location, and a vehicle is then sent to their current location for pickup. Riders are then dropped off at their locations directly, without following a predetermined fixed route or the need to change buses at a transfer station.

In his presentation to Council, Assistant City Manager Kevin Limehouse pointed out the potential efficiency benefit for users of the new pilot program over the City's existing fixed-route bus system, noting that a trip from CC Woodson Community Center to the Food Lion in Pinewood Shopping Center currently takes around 45 mines, with numerous stops and a mile walk to reach the destination. Utilizing microtransit, a rider could make the same trip in 10-20 minutes, and the rider would be picked up and dropped off at their specific departure and arrival destinations with no need to walk to a predetermined public transit stop.

The microtransit pilot program will be limited in scope, available for pickup and drop-off destinations in the city's northside and southside areas only, providing a new option for some of the areas in Spartanburg that most rely on public transit. Rides will cost $2 per rider, payable by credit or debit card only, and will be available 6 a.m.-6 p.m., seven days per week. The pilot is expected to last one year, with an evaluation period at six months, and will cost an estimated $334,442. Funding for the program will come from federal transit funds the City received during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more from Monday's City Council meeting, follow this link to view the full video.