More than 40 agencies in Virginia will have access to Via’s Remix transit planning software, which offers a close look into service gaps, data to help improve internal operations and on-demand transit. This development comes as the result of a partnership between the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and Via. It is seen as a broad move to expand equity, giving small agencies with more limited resources the same access to technology as larger transit organizations.
“It is very important for rural agencies to have the same access to technology tools that other more urban agencies use,” said Amy Friedenberger, manager of external affairs for DRPT. “Our rural agencies have very few resources to evaluate their transit services, and they are looking for opportunities to provide better connections to those who need it most.”
The technology platform allows transit agencies to experiment with hypothetical changes to service and then evaluate those changes around factors like cost, accessibility and vehicle requirements, Friedenberger explained.
“Tools like Remix are very essential for increasing efficiencies or service within transit agencies,” Friedenberger added. “Remix allows agencies to better understand how their current service is performing and why it is performing that way based on various socioeconomic data sets. At the same time, it allows transit agency staff to see what the impact would be on making service adjustments.”
Both Via and Remix have ample experience in working with transit agencies of all sizes, said Eric Gardiner, director of East Coast partnerships at Via. The company has several hundred partnerships in the United States, serving small agencies like Bay Transit in Warsaw, Va., to large ones such as King County Metro in Seattle.
The agreement with Virginia DRPT takes advantage of the state’s procurement purchasing power and allows for “more competitive pricing,” said Friedenberger.
“This is our first statewide transit technology contract, but we hope to roll out more in the near future,” she added.
Saving money is important as transit continues to face financial headwinds as it adjusts to changing rider levels following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s critical for transit planners to be equipped with tools that allow them to maximize operational efficiencies, as well as gain the necessary funding to improve their networks,” said Gardiner, pointing out the Remix platform’s ability to enable transit planners to better understand the service quality and trade-offs between microtransit and fixed-route operations.
“Remix’s transit and on-demand planning products are intuitively and beautifully designed so that anyone can master them easily,” said Gardiner. “This saves precious time and resources for any agency, but particularly smaller ones, where staff are often required to wear many different hats and may have tight bandwidth.”
