AL: Homewood is launching a nearly $800,000 on-demand transportation service

The city of Homewood will be piloting an on demand transportation service come July.

The microtransit service will allow riders to request a trip through an app and get picked up nearby, with routes designed in real time to keep trips efficient and wait times low. Officials say the service will improve access to jobs, healthcare and local businesses.

“This is a good opportunity to show a level of service to those individuals that are in need. The convenience aspect of it is amazing,” Ward 1 Council Member Paul Simmons said.

The pilot project will run from July through September 2027, giving the city 15 months to observe how people use the system, where demand is strongest and how the service can be refined.

The transportation service is already available throughout the Birmingham area with a 12.5 minute average wait time, 57% of riders using the service to get to work or school and 33% of rides connecting to hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, according to the city of Homewood.

City officials say that how the service is funded is important because Alabama is the only state in the country that does not provide funding for public transportation.

The pilot costs about $792,00 and will be fully funded by the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, allowing the city to launch the service without immediate long term cost commitments.

After that, the projected annual costs are expected to be about $610,000 to $630,000, depending on how the service is adjusted over time, with up to three vehicles operating during set service hours.

“Going forward with this, a lot of people see the expense. It looks like a large expense, but in reality, for an elderly person to go to Brookwood Hospital to do her checkups and things like this, it’s going to be a big plus,” Ward 3 Council Member Chris Lane said.

City leaders will decide whether to continue the service once the pilot phase ends.

“If we don’t try it we will miss out and you’ve got to try it to see if it’s going to work,” Lane said.

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