Deployment of technology for paratransit: Examples of innovation

The deployment of technology for paratransit service involves the consideration of special requirements that are not needed in the deployment of fixed-route service technology. These requirements include handling stops that are not at fixed locations, schedule adherence which considers paratransit-specific issues (e.g., missed pick-ups and/or drop-offs), the wide variance in vehicle types and sizes, and design issues related to elderly and disabled customers. Further, the specification of scheduling and dispatch automation, and considerations related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) must be an integral part of the deployment of technology for paratransit. This paper will discuss each of these issues in detail. While these requirements seem quite daunting, there are many innovative paratransit systems that have embraced technology as the way to move into the 21st century, providing the customer with much better service while operating more efficiently and effectively. This paper will describe several of these innovative systems. These excellent examples can be used by other paratransit agencies to design and implement technology-based systems that are suitable for their particular operation. The examples are Community Transit of Delaware County, Pennsylvania; the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation in suburban Detroit, Michigan; and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission in Woodbridge, Virginia. This paper will conclude with several "lessons learned" from these innovative systems. Although each success has its own unique factors, many deployments share similar success factors. These lessons include the following: the time and effort spent in the planning and design phase of the deployment is crucial to the success of the deployment; institutional and organizational issues are far more critical that the technology/system itself; and benefits identified for key stakeholders sell the innovation. With the current level of activity related to APTS deployments around the world for paratransit operations, many actual design and deployment experiences can be used to guide an agency's design and deployment efforts.