FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 21, 2021
MARTA, GEORGIA TECH
AWARDED GRANT TO PILOT ON-DEMAND MULTIMODAL TRANSIT SYSTEM
Civic Innovation Challenge
Award Provides $1M for Community-Based Mobility Solution
ATLANTA – The U.S. National Science Foundation
has awarded the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) and
Georgia Tech Research Cooperation a $1 million grant to pilot an On-Demand
Multimodal Transit System Solution (ODMTS). The Civic Innovation
Challenge Award supports
community-based initiatives to address mobility and
disaster challenges.
ODMTS
is a hybrid of traditional public transit and ridesharing that offers real-time
routing that meets rider demand, optimizes vehicle use, and fills in service
gaps left by a fixed bus route.
For example, instead of waiting at a traditional bus stop, a person needing a
ride to the grocery store could conveniently and affordably use a smartphone
app to summon a vehicle to a nearby location also picking up other passengers
nearby.
“We are grateful to the National Science
Foundation for this grant and proud to partner with Georgia Tech,” said MARTA
Deputy General Manager Collie Greenwood. “Exploring first- and last-mile
connectivity options is important in providing transit service that meets the
needs of everyone in metro Atlanta.”
This small-scale pilot project will
test the system’s efficiency and provide information on whether a large- scale
version would work across MARTA’s service area as the
agency is undertaking a comprehensive redesign of its bus
network.
Professor Pascal Van Hentenryck and Georgia
Tech’s Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) team is providing the
technology, including routing logic, and rider, operator, and administrator
system apps for the project.
“MARTA’s leadership is very forward-thinking,
and they are working to determine the future of public transportation,” said
Van Hentenryck. “They have been extremely collaborative throughout the process
and provided us with vast amounts of data and insights to drive the
process.”
The service will be tested in areas where
there is a need for greater transit accessibility
in DeKalb, Clayton, and Fulton counties and the City of Atlanta. It
will connect to nearby fixed bus route transfer hubs, such as rail
stations and Park & Rides, and use MARTA’s current fare of $2.50 with
transfers included.
A start date for the pilot program and details
on how to participate will be shared in the coming months. To learn more about
the Civic Innovation Challenge visit Civic Innovation Challenge | Powering Smart and Connected
Communities (nsfcivicinnovation.org).
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