Mobility on Demand Sandbox Demonstration: Puget Sound First/Last Mile Partnership with Via, Final Report

Gifford, Casey; Chazanow, Abby; Hallenbeck, Mark E · 2021 · ROSA P / United States. Federal Transit Administration. Office of Research, Demonstration, and Innovation

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Summary

This report documents the implementation and evaluation of the "Via to Transit" Mobility on Demand (MOD) Sandbox Demonstration in the Puget Sound region. Sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration and led by Los Angeles Metro, the project was a partnership between Sound Transit, King County Metro, and the Transportation Network Company (TNC) Via. The primary objective was to test the viability of integrating private on-demand services with public transit to improve first/last-mile access, specifically for underserved populations including those with disabilities, limited English proficiency, and low-income residents. The pilot launched in April 2019 and operated until March 2020, serving five Link light rail stations in Seattle and Tukwila. The service allowed users to request rides via a smartphone app or a staffed call center, with fares integrated into the regional ORCA payment system to enable seamless transfers. To ensure accessibility, the project provided wheelchair-accessible vehicles and accepted multiple payment methods, including prepaid cards for unbanked users. The evaluation methodology combined operational data from ORCA fare records, rider surveys, and transit boarding statistics to assess changes in travel behavior, mode shift, and equity outcomes. Findings indicate that Via to Transit achieved significant ridership, with over 950 weekday users by early 2020, representing nearly 5% of Link users in the service areas. While the service did not definitively increase overall Link ridership due to external disruptions like construction, it helped mitigate ridership declines at stations with high Via usage. Behavioral analysis revealed a bimodal distribution: frequent Via users increased their total transit trip-making, while infrequent users decreased it. Equity data showed that youth comprised 20% of trips, and low-income riders accounted for 7%, a rate higher than general Link ridership but lower than local bus service. However, people of color used the service less frequently than their proportion in the local population. The study concludes that public-private partnerships can effectively expand transit access and integrate TNCs into the broader network, particularly when robust data-sharing and inclusive payment options are prioritized. The project demonstrated that such models can serve diverse populations, though challenges remain in engaging minority communities and proving net ridership gains amidst seasonal and operational variables. The report provides lessons learned for future MOD initiatives, emphasizing the importance of flexible partnership structures and comprehensive community engagement.

Key finding

The Via to Transit pilot demonstrated that partnering with a TNC to provide first/last-mile service to light rail stations is a viable strategy that increases access for diverse populations, though available data could not definitively prove it increased overall transit ridership due to seasonal effects and concurrent construction disruptions.

Methodology

field_study

Provenance

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