Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fixed routes operating in the Calgary suburb, Springbank Hill, were experiencing low ridership. When the pandemic hit, ridership dropped even further. These sequential scenarios pressed budget constraints and Calgary Transit identified it needed an alternative mobility solution that would improve productivity and service levels, while remaining cost effective. Through the existing partnership in the Carrington/Livingston zone, RideCo was engaged to design and implement another service using their on-demand transit platform.
Calgary Transit was looking to implement an innovative solution to address challenges with service delivery throughout the Springbank Hill zone. The agency’s primary goals were to tackle low ridership on existing fixed routes, fluctuating trip demand throughout the service area, and improve overall service levels despite ongoing budget constraints.
To solve the highlighted challenges Calgary Transit was facing, RideCo designed a customized service model that enables convenient mobility within the Springbank Hill zone, while providing more efficient trips to and from C-Train stations and popular points of interest. Calgary Transit On Demand replaced four of its eight fixed routes operating in the zone with On Demand service. To accommodate the fluctuations in trip demand, vehicle supply is scheduled in accordance with union rules while ensuring a maximum 20-minute wait time. The Springbank Hill service surpassed its initial goal within just two weeks, moving over 300 passengers per day. The highly rated service continues to see stable ridership with 40%+ of trips travelling to and from C-Train stations or points of interest.
