Janelle Irwin Taylor
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is launching an expanded app called Transit+ to make connecting to public transportation a seamless process.
The new feature expands on the existing app, Transit, which allows users to book public transportation trips from start to finish. It also adds additional transportation modes including bike and rideshare opportunities.
Public transportation, even in the best-planned cities, gets passengers to general areas but the distance between transit stops and final locations can often be a long walk and prohibitive for people who don’t necessarily have to use it. It’s what’s known as the first-mile/last-mile problem.
Transit+ allows passengers to see trip suggestions that include using ridesharing services Uber and Lyft as an option to connect to PSTA bus service. Users can plan, book and pay for a ride from either company while also getting real-time updates about their bus connection.
“PSTA loves the Transit App,” said PSTA CEO Brad Miller. “We pride ourselves on always bringing cutting-edge transportation to our citizens and this multimodal Transit+ app launch is a gigantic step forward. As the very first public transit system in the U.S. to launch a first- and last-mile program with Uber and Lyft, this new Transit+ feature will make riding PSTA’s system so much easier for the more than 300,000 people who have already downloaded the Transit App in Pinellas County.”
Miller said the agency’s goal is to make car-free living a viable solution in Pinellas County to reduce traffic congestion, improve the environment and help residents save money.
PSTA’s announcement came the same day Miller was attending the Florida Autonomous Vehicle Summit in Tampa highlighting innovative transportation solutions.
PSTA previously partnered with Uber on its TD Late Shift program that allows “transportation disadvantaged” people who don’t own cars due to economic hardship to use the ridesharing company late at night and in the early morning when buses don’t run.
The latest partnership adds Lyft into the fold allowing users to find the fastest commute time possible while comparing ride and cost information within the Transit+ app.
“Our mission at Transit is to make it easy to get from a to b without your own car,” said Jake Sion, Transit COO. “By connecting Uber and Lyft seamlessly with PSTA’s public transit service, we’re promoting ridehail as a vital first- and last-mile link to reduce congestion, rather than worsen it. Today’s announcement brings the future of transportation closer to reality in Florida.”
In the near future, Transit’s multimodal trip planner will also begin suggesting trips that combine transit with other options that users can already find in the app to take short trips, like Coast Bike Share.
Transit+ is in beta, so only rolling out to a limited number of markets.
