WACO, TX — Waco Transit has conducted a pilot program resembling a ride-share system similar to Uber or Lyft.
Waco Transit has helped with transportation on the Baylor campus for some time but now instead of the bus being on a fixed route students can request a ride from a pick up location of their choice.
After downloading the app Ecolane, students are able to book their pick up between the hours of 6 p.m. and 1:30 a.m.
Waco Transit chose to use those hours of operation because that's when they see the need for a pick up increase. Right now they have the one small bus picking up students, but as the demand increases and more rides are requested, other buses and small vans will also be in the rotation.
Working with a geo-mapping grid, there are pinpoints that ask the rider and the driver to meet since buses and cars can not access certain roads on the Baylor campus. This will help minimize confusion with buildings that have multiple entrances and exits. The rider may have to walk a short distance to be at the allocated pick up location.
"Students have only waited up to 15 minutes," said Allen Hunter, General Manager of Waco Transit.
Baylor Parking Services Director, Matt Penney was intrigued by the idea at first but wasn't sure if the idea would work.
"My first thought was a little skeptical, you're saying we can do something like Uber or Lyft, on the Baylor campus," Penney said. "I've got a long history in public transportation and that's very innovative. I was surprised."
After testing it out himself and seeing other students enjoy the opportunity he is excited to continue the ride share system next semester.
"We wanted a service that our students understood. One of the challenges with public transportation is understanding where it goes and the app is very intuitive and I think it will fit the style of our students very well." Penney said.
Emilie Radar a junior at Baylor doesn't have a car to get herself around with. She spends most of her time in the library, sometimes as lat as midnight. With a 20 minute walk to her apartment, she feels more at ease knowing she can call Waco Transit to bring her home instead of calling an Uber or Lyft.
"Getting into the wrong car or them picking up the wrong person so I think someone who's trained I have that reinsurance that like I'm not going to get kidnapped or something like that." Radar said.
With the small and controlled environment like the Baylor campus to test the program, if all goes well it could spread to McLennan County.
"Since McLennan County is so big, people would need to book their trips in advance," Hunter said.
This is because of the wide area that the county covers it would be hard to have an instantaneous pick up and drop off.
Hunter said there is usually a decrease in Baylor ridership as finals approach but things are different this year with the new program.
"With this app and the usage of it we're seeing an increase," Hunter said.
There is also an added safety measure to using the Waco Transit System over Uber and Lyft. When a rider signs up to work for the popular service there isn't much if at all training that goes into working for the companies.
Waco Transit wants their riders and community to feel safe when requesting a ride.
"Our drivers before they're ever allowed to transport passengers through two months of training, that's both vehicle familiarization, screening, background, defensive driving, first aid, CPR," Hunter said.
This has been a 6 week pilot program, starting April 1 it will end after finals on May 13.
