CA: Sacramento-area commuters can get free help navigating mass transit. Here’s how

As Tiffani Scott has worked for more than a decade in Sacramento’s transit world, she’s been struck by how difficult it is for commuters to figure out how to navigate from Point A to Point B using the capital region’s many agencies.

If residents live in Elk Grove and work in Rancho Cordova, for example, they’d have to transfer several times on public transit to cobble together a workable plan to get to the office and back. Scott, the CEO of PI Solutions, said her team has the expertise to find the most accessible and direct modes of transportation.

“There are 10 transit providers in Sacramento region. They all provide different services at different times, and that’s not including things like taxis, ride share and van pool,” Scott, said. “So the idea came up: What if we could come up with one (phone) number, one website, one location where if you want transportation, you call us and we’re almost like your travel agent?”

In March, Scott’s organization began rolling out Paratransit MetroHub, a free one-stop service that assists riders in planning trips and answers transit-related questions. The goal, Scott said, is to make mass transportation easier and more equitable.

MetroHub staff also can connect callers to a PI Solutions staffer who can meet in person or by Zoom to train residents on how to use different modes of mass transit, even going along on a few trips if new riders would like.

While many people may know PI Solutions, formerly Paratransit Inc., for the transportation it offers to the disabled community, MetroHub offers transit planning assistance to anyone who needs it.

Tourists, for instance, can call, email or chat with MetroHub employees to let them know when they will be here, where they’re interested in going and what modes of transportation they’re willing to use, Scott said, and staff will work with them on a travel plan.

MetroHub representatives are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Scott said, but emails can be sent at any time of day and the staff will respond as soon as they can.

“The representative talking to you is actually one of our staff, so they’re not farmed out,” she said. “They’re Sacramento locals who have been trained on these services and understand what it actually takes to utilize them. Not only will they walk you through your process, but we will follow it up with an email or a text, whichever you wish, giving you a detail step-by-step (guide).”

How local residents can access MetroHub

• Call for help: Riders can dial 916-429-2488 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily to connect with a live trip planner.
• Go online: Chat with an agent from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or email them 24 hours a day by going to metrohub.org.

The service can help riders map out a plan across transit services and figure out what transfers are available and how much a trip costs. Depending on consumer demand for the service, PI Solutions may invest in adding features such as a self-help mapping tool to the MetroHub website or an app for cellphones.

Scott emphasized that MetroHub is funded by existing transportation dollars administered by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments.

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