Bloomington Transit partners with ridesharing companies for late night rides

The Challenge

Late-night bus waits got you down? Wish you could summon a ride without breaking the bank? Prepare to have your transportation dreams fulfilled! Bloomington Transit has conjured up a groundbreaking solution to combat the nationwide bus driver shortage while ensuring passengers can glide through the night with ease.

The driver shortage across the country is hitting nearly every industry; from commercial trucking, to school bus drivers and city transit agencies, due in part to a retiring workforce. Cities experiencing these shortages are having to reconsider their routes and service capabilities in the midst of these changes while forging new partnerships.

Bloomington Transit has faced similar challenges in recent years. In order to continue service as usual, employees have been working more overtime hours. As a result, maintaining existing levels of service to all routes has strained BT bus operators. Bloomington Transit began developing a contingency plan in the unfortunate circumstances that services needed to be cut. The question they asked themselves was simple but daring: "What if we transformed our competition into our allies?" 

The Idea

Bloomington Transit has devised a smart strategy to optimize their fixed route schedules. By carefully analyzing decreased ridership during late evening hours, they found an opportunity to ease the burden on their hardworking drivers while still meeting the needs of transit users.

Their solution is a unique partnership with ride-sharing giants Uber and Lyft, providing a seamless and efficient transit experience for commuters.

The solution? Team up with Uber and Lyft to make sure your trip is covered! 

The Cost

The switch to late-night ride sharing services has freed up two full-time positions and has reduced costs. In July, Bloomington Transit spent $3,300 on the ride sharing services. If it had run late-night buses, it would have incurred costs over $25,000. 

Trips taken within the highlighted zone on the map are eligible for BT discount on Uber and/or Lyft (trips must start and end within the zone.) Riders pay the first $1 of ride, and BT pays up to $19 per trip. These BT-Discounted rides on Uber and/or Lyft are available 9:00 PM until 12:00 AM, Monday through Friday. Riders without smartphones may call BT to book a trip, and any riders in need of a wheelchair-accessible vehicle may call BT to book a trip. 

Take advantage of this remarkable partnership, and your late-night escapades will be almost entirely covered! 

The Benefits

So far, the average cost to BT to facilitate trips on Uber and Lyft is less than $12.00 per ride, compared to around an average of $15.00 per trip to provide service on fixed routes. Furthermore, the average trip duration on Uber and Lyft has been less than 10 minutes, demonstrating a significant improvement in convenience compared to scheduling trips around BT’s hourly fixed route service in the late evening.

Riders, including those with a CrimsonCard and BT passes, will have to pay $1 per ride, and BT will cover the next $19.

People can order the rides using an app on their phones and entering a discount code or by calling the transit service’s main line, 812-336-7433. The area is geofenced, meaning only people who are physically in that area can use their phones to order the service.

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To access Uber voucher*: CLICK HERE

To access your Lyft Pass, enter code: BTLATENITE in the Payment section of the Lyft app, or CLICK HERE

If your require a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, or you do not own a smart phone, you may call BT Dispatch to schedule a ride at 812-336-7433

Metadata

City Department(s): Bloomington Transit

City Department Point(s) of Contact: Zac Huneck

Partner(s): Uber, Lyft

Type of Innovation: Cost Savings

Date Implemented: August 2022