The Routing Company (TRC) has launched its Pingo Rural™ package containing preset configurations optimized to rural customers and housed within TRC’s Pingo platform. The package includes the ability to operate all modes – fixed routes, on-demand, paratransit and shuttle routes – and to add Pingo features as desired.
Pingo Rural™ will help alleviate pain points created by inefficient transportation deployments by right-sizing service based on demand that best fits community needs. In turn, delivering more accessible, flexible and convenient modes of transit, meaning greater utilization of an existing fleet, meaning more people per vehicle per revenue hour (PAX).
“Transportation agencies have long faced multipronged challenges when deploying transit in rural areas. The first is due to lack of funding. The second is due to less predictable demand, which in turn causes inefficiencies in service – meaning less predictable and more expensive service for riders,” said TRC CEO James Cox. “Pingo Rural was developed with this in mind, enabling more efficient and demand-responsive transit to areas where residents are underserved. Living in a rural area shouldn’t mean limited access to public transit nor a compromised rider experience. We’re here to help change rural transit for the better – not just for riders, but drivers and operators too.”
TRC currently supports rural deployments in East and West Sussex (UK); Solano County, Calif., Campbeltown, Dunoon, East Lothian and Berwickshire, Scotland, Chillicothe, Ohio, and Clallam County, Wash.
Of its current rural deployments, TRC’s routing engine powers utilization of 9.4 PAX at its peak. For rural and urban deployments, TRC’s seat utilization averages PAX of 9.5.
“Since 2021, we have used Pingo to move people across Argyll, connecting multiple communities in rural Scotland which is no small feat,” said Colin Craig, managing director, West Coast Motors. “With Pingo, we not only gained real-time insight on rider demand and driver performance, we boosted efficiency in providing transportation for rural riders. Tailored solutions for rural deployments are a must, because rural transport demands flexibility and responsiveness to manage unpredictable demand – which cannot come at the expense of the rider experience. Working with TRC has allowed us to harness the best of rural transport, with efficiency, rider happiness and responsiveness occurring in tandem.”
Customers operating Pingo Rural™ can further customize service by adding on Pingo features as desired, such as:
- Pingo Shuttle™ feature (supporting “light” fixed route services)
- First and last mile on-demand microtransit
- Commingled paratransit services with Pingo Access™
