UG Honored for Innovation in Transportation Services

Published on September 05, 2024

UG Transit_Innovation Award_2024.08.jpg

At the 2024 annual conference of the Kansas Public Transit Association, the Unified Government (UG) Transportation Department was honored with a 2024 Innovation Award for its implementation of on-demand transit services in Wyandotte County. Congratulations to the entire team!

The UG Transportation Department implemented the leading-edge booking and routing software IRIS, provided by RideCo, to improve the customer experience for on-demand transportation services. Launched last autumn, the UG offers same-day booking and convenient reservations by phone, web or app; electronic fare payment; and real-time trip updates for both the RideKC On-Demand Microtransit and Paratransit services. With this new system, the UG Transportation Department was able to expand the microtransit zone by 22 square miles and offer weekend service to improve access to key employment and entertainment areas of the county.

"This award is a reflection of the hard work, dedication, and innovative spirit of our entire team, said Transportation Director Deasiray Bush. "I am honored to receive this recognition from the Kansas Public Transit Association, and it fuels our commitment to continue enhancing our services and finding new ways to meet the evolving needs of our community."

Have You Tried On-Demand Transit?

Since its launch, nearly 3,000 customers have taken microtransit in Wyandotte County. Microtransit service is an on-demand shared ride transit option that operates in a specific zone and help connect to jobs, entertainment, regional transportation, and other destinations. You can request and pay for rides through IRIS Mobile App, the IRIS Booking Website, or through the Transportation Dispatch Center. With excellent on-time performance and ease-of-use, customers are happy, rating these services with a 4.9 out of 5-star average rating.

Discover Your Transportation Options

About the Technology

RideCo's industry-leading microtransit software maximizes efficiency through continual improvement. The unique routing technology, known as Solver, optimizes each route every 20 seconds, whether it was booked the same day or weeks in advance. It considers the promised pick-up and drop-off times for each trip, the location of each vehicle, traffic conditions, and a variety of other criteria to calculate the most efficient route to carry each passenger from their starting point to their destination Solver is the optimization engine that powers RideCo's entire product suite.

About the Kansas Public Transit Association (KPTA)

The KPTA was founded in 1981 by individual persons and Kansas transit systems interested in promoting public transportation in Kansas. KPTA has since taken a leading role in working with state and federal government for equity in regulation of public transportation. The innovation awards are given in recognition of innovative service initiatives.

 

UG Transit_Innovation Award_2024.08.jpg

Pictured above: Transportation Manager Arlando Young and Director Deasiray Bush are presented with the KPTA 2024 Innovation Award.