The Bloomington Public Transportation Corporation (BPTC) is continuing to evolve its on-demand transportation offerings through same-day BT Access scheduling and its voucher program with Uber and Lyft, as well as planning for an in-house microtransit program.
On July 3, BPTC will begin offering same-day scheduling on its BT Access paratransit service to enhance flexibility for registered riders who may need to have same day trips when making an advanced reservation isn’t possible. Currently, BT Access riders can schedule trips for next day trips as well as up to fourteen days in advance to coordinate curb-to-curb trips. Advanced reservations will continue to be encouraged. Same-day trips will now be offered, as available, with a two-hour pickup window and limited to two trips per day. To schedule trips, call (812) 336-7433 and select option 3.
At its May 2023 meeting, the BPTC Board of Directors elected to continue the agency’s partnership with Uber and Lyft to complement existing transit services and provide additional mobility options for riders. The BT Late Nite voucher program will continue to be offered 9:00 pm to midnight Monday-Friday with an updated cost-sharing arrangement effective July 3. Riders will pay for the first $2.00 of the trip, and BPTC will pay the remaining cost up to $14.00. The agency will also be discontinuing the Eastside On-Demand voucher program as of June 30, 2023.
With over 50,000 trips provided since its inception in June 2022, the agency considers the year-long pilot program with Uber and Lyft an indicator that on-demand transportation will continue to be an important complementary service where traditional fixed routes are less effective.
BPTC is moving forward with the deployment of its own on-demand transportation service, with the launch of the service anticipated for summer 2024. Incorporating on-demand services in the agency’s transportation offerings promises to enhance convenience for riders, improve environmental sustainability by better matching services with demand, and improve the cost-effectiveness of delivering transit service. New on-demand transportation offerings are being made possible through the additional funds raised through the City of Bloomington’s Local Income Tax (LIT).
For additional information on the voucher programs, same-day scheduling on BT Access, and future microtransit service, call (812) 336-7433 or visit bloomingtontransit.com.
