In a bid to modernize transit service in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Winnipeg Transit will launch an On-Request transit pilot on Aug. 12. The service allows passengers to book rides on Winnipeg Transit’s On-Request mobile app, online or by calling 311.
The pilot On-Request service will operate in three zones currently served by dial-a-ride-transit. On-Request service is powered by technology from Via and uses an algorithm to route and plan trips in real-time, provides step-by-step directions to the bus operator via a GPS device that will be mounted in front of them and allows app customers to see real-time movements of their bus.
“I’m pleased to see the On-Request Transit service pilot project being implemented so quickly after the 2021 Balanced Budget Update,” said Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman. “Across our country, all transit services grapple with how to supply the most accurate service to meet the unpredictable changes in demand. This pilot project will use innovative software to address those unpredictable changes in demand in a way that has seen success in cities across Canada.”
The On-Request transit service pilot was included as a proposal to enhance services for riders in the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. Similar services have been piloted or deployed in Edmonton, AB, Regina, and Saskatoon, SK, Sault Ste. Marie and Stratford, ON.
The cost of the pilot project is C$140,000 (US$111,929), which was funded by a technology grant from the city’s Innovation & Technology Department.
