GREENFIELD — Franklin Regional Transit Authority launched a pilot program Tuesday that will allow anyone to schedule a next-day or same-day ride by using its new mobile app.
FRTA ACCESS is the transit authority’s new micro-transit pilot program, according to Administrator Tina Cote. She said people scheduling rides will be taken to destinations within two different zones on smaller curb-to-curb Demand Response buses. Demand Response is the FRTA’s program for transporting people over age 60 and veterans who have a 70 percent disabled rating.
“We typically have room on those buses, so we thought it was a good idea to utilize the open seats,” Cote said. “We’ll be assessing the program from now until the pilot ends to see if it’s popular and if it is, to make decisions on how to resolve issues and work through any problems.”
During the pilot phase, which will run until June 2020, two zones will have access to the application: Zone 1, which consists of Greenfield, Montague, Deerfield, Whately, Gill and Leyden; and Zone 2, which consists of Orange, New Salem, Warwick and Wendell. People will only be able to travel within their zone.
Cote said services will operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. within each zone. All rides will cost $5 for a one-way trip, and additional riders will cost $2.50. She said rides are open to the public on a first come, first served basis.
The app can be downloaded at the Apple App Store or Google Play by searching for FRTA.
Cote said currently, people can only schedule rides through the app. She said FRTA is working on making it so that people can also schedule rides online, if they don’t have a smart phone.
Cote said in addition to FRTA ACCESS, Demand Response within the two zones will be able to schedule trips during those extended hours and days. She said FRTA will also be watching to see what the most popular destinations are so that, for instance, if the butterfly museum became a popular stop, it might eventually be incorporated into the fixed ride service.
“We also recognized that not all cabs or other types of rides are handicapped-accessible and ours are,” Cote said. “Now, we’ll see what happens.”
The new service begins today at 7 a.m.
She said the state Department of Transportation Discretionary Grant Program is funding the pilot program.
For more information, call FRTA 413-774-2262 or FTM dispatch at 413-773-8090.
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-0261, ext. 269 or afritz@recorder.com.