Public rides could get turbo boost

With the help of a Federal Transit Administration grant, Kootenai County's transportation system could connect better with its customers than ever before.

Partnering with Citylink North, Kootenai Health and the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, Passio Technologies is building MobilityPlanner — a free digital platform that connects public and private transportation services.

The application would not only reach Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls, Citylink Program Specialist Amber Conklin said, but perhaps places like Athol, Rathdrum, and Hayden Lake, where transportation services are sparse.

"Part of this app is to create regional connections, to fill the gaps, the transportation deserts that are here in Kootenai County," Conklin said. "So what we've been doing is a transportation survey, trying to see what services are out there whether they are public or private, and the whole point of this app is to tie those together."

After Kootenai County won $150,000 through the Integrated Mobility Innovation grant from the FTA in 2019, the organizations and Passio Tech began working on a project geared at improving public transportation in Kootenai County.

MobilityPlanner is a Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platform, Tim Hubbard of Passio Tech said during a presentation with the Board of County Commissioners Tuesday afternoon. Over the last couple of weeks, Passio Tech has discussed the IMI project with the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls city councils on how it would affect their constituents.

Having a nonintegrated transit system often leads to frustration, Hubbard explained, and underutilization of public transportation. Some challenges that can occur, he said, include:

• The difficulty for riders to compare and secure rides as a result of different hours, service areas, and payments

• Trouble when attempting to book trips using multiple providers

• Missed appointments (interviews, work, medical and more)

By integrating data from multiple providers into a single application with trip planning and payment options, Hubbard and Passio Tech believe MaaS could dramatically improve rider experience.

"Transportation providers are moving into a new era because they will see an increase in riders, and we'll be able to make data-driven decisions based on the transportation demand," Hubbard said.

The platform's goal and implementation in Kootenai County are to suit users' needs better and fulfill them through increased understanding of transit options, a user-friendly application for payments, ride requests, and vehicle trafficking "tailor-made" suggestions, Hubbard said.

"The rider enters the trip information and mobility requirements, like a wheelchair or service animal, in the app to look at all the providers and present a list of options," Hubbard said.

Primary access to the MaaS program will be the smartphone applications or online. Hubbard also said the program could be used by a workforce or development center to provide transit for their employees and patients — like Kootenai Health.

System planning has already been completed within Passio Tech's and Kootenai services, Hubbard said, moving into the development phase. The booking and confirmation of rides should be implemented by this fall, and Passio Tech should complete payment integration the following spring.

"What we're doing is we're starting with the public transportation provider and making sure that's a really good first-class experience," Hubbard said.

Part of the county's strategic service plan for public transportation, Kootenai County Fixed Route Services manager Chad Ingle said, is expanding the mobility options that will meet the future transportation needs of a rapidly growing urban area. Ingle said the county is looking for increased motorized, walking, cycling, and bike-sharing transport options by working with local jurisdictions and stakeholders.

Included in the county's strategic plan is updating the Riverstone Transit Center with an added 600 square foot maintenance structure, about 65 parking stalls, and a generator on site. Another feature will be bus shelter improvements at the Panhandle Health District and Seltice Way Huetter stops to make them more accessible.

Working with Post Falls, Ingle said the county is looking to improve on a walkable winter path throughout the city that goes along the bus route path.