Omaha Metro plans microtransit service to fill busline gaps

Transit officials described it as “a mix between a bus and a rideshare,” known as microtransit.

“It can help riders reach locations within pre-set zones where regular buses may not run, or can connect people to bus stops or transit lines that are a little far for them to get to,” said Annie Pigaga, a communications specialist for the Regional Metropolitan Transit Authority of Omaha.

People would be able to request rides and pay fares through an app on their mobile devices. People also will be able to request rides with a phone call.

Metro executives are proposing the service as a pilot program, subject to approval of the Metro board. Metro would contract with a private company to operate the service, including providing vehicles and drivers.

“This is really an additional tool that adds some flexibility for our customers and community and helps promote mobility in our community,” Metro CEO Lauren Cernic said.

There will be fares, but the amount has yet to be determined, Cernic said. Metro will seek public opinion about fares at upcoming meetings, she said. In some cities, microtransit fares are about double the standard fare. Metro currently charges $1.25 for a ride and 25 cents for transfers.

A proposal could go to Metro’s governing board soon, possibly in February. A potential start date for the service has yet to be set, but it’s expected to be this year, possibly within a few months of the board’s approval.

The service would be funded as a three-year pilot program by philanthropic donors, Metro said. Cernic said Metro leaders are thrilled that its philanthropic partners are making the investment in mobility.

Officials with the Sherwood Foundation, led by Susie Buffett, confirmed that they have agreed to be the lead donor for the pilot. Several other foundations are also providing support, they said.

“We feel like it is going to be an excellent addition to our existing bus system, to help folks who don’t have access to a car or easy transportation get around the city affordably and timely,” said Kerri Sanchez, the director of urban initiatives with Sherwood.

Sherwood officials said the many social service organizations they support tell them one of the biggest barriers their clients face in their daily lives is the lack of easy and affordable transportation options, important for reaching jobs, going to their kids’ schools and other places.

It is unclear what the annual cost of the service will be to the charitable partners, Sanchez said, but it’s roughly estimated at $2 million to $4 million annually.

Metro is proposing three locations for the pilot: North Omaha, South Omaha and west Omaha. All the zones will connect with Metro transit centers. Maps of the proposed zones will be available at the upcoming public meetings and on the Metro Transit website after the meetings.

The meetings are scheduled for:

• Monday, Jan. 13, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Charles Washington Branch Public Library, 2868 Ames Ave.
• Thursday, Jan. 16, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., South Omaha Branch Public Library, 2808 Q St.
• Saturday, Jan. 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Westroads Mall, 10000 California St.
• Tuesday, Jan. 21, noon to 1 p.m. online via Zoom.

“We want to get feedback from the public about the pilot program, including the name, zones and service hours before all the decisions around the pilot service are decided,” Pigaga said by email Thursday.

The Omaha program would be a version of microtransit, a growingly popular public transit service with more flexible routes and schedules than regular bus services have. Agencies are at least trying varieties of microtransit in various U.S. metropolitan areas, including Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Ankeny, Iowa; and Houston, Texas.

The Sherwood Foundation first began talking to Metro about microtransit last May, said Tess Larson, the foundation’s vice president for programs.

Buffett, the chair of Sherwood and the daughter of Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, heard about the concept from another organization and asked her staff to research it. In talks with Metro, they learned Metro had also been looking at the concept.

“We were really fortuitous about the timing of it, but we were very excited,” Larson said.

Sherwood officials said as they understand it at times the service would take the person all the way to their destination, or at times it would connect them to the nearest stop in Metro’s bus network. It could also take them from a bus stop back to their homes.

“What is really great about this is it integrates with our existing bus system, to hopefully make it more efficient and make it quicker and more affordable for folks to get to where they need to go,” Sanchez said.

It remains to be seen how the service would be funded if Metro decides to continue it once the pilot program runs its course, Larson said. If it helps increase ridership on Metro, regular fares could help cover it, Metro could find other funding sources, or it could continue as some kind of public-private partnership, she said.

“We really are in this as a partnership,” Sanchez said. “We are all going to be looking at how you keep it sustainable over time.”

Metro representatives talked about the program to members of the Metro Transit Advisory Committee, a group of Omahans who advise the Metro board about community concerns. Brian Neely, a member of the committee, said it sounds like a good option, a less expensive alternative to Uber or Lyft.

He said there are “transit deserts” in the city without bus service, and that sometimes people have to walk as much as a mile to get to a bus stop from their homes.

“The biggest thing is educating people so they know how to use it,” Neely said.