Centennial is tackling a problem posed by public transport by joining with Lyft, a ridesharing system, to give free rides to and from Dry Creek, a light rail station.
Getting people out of their homes and/or offices to the train station or bus depot once the service is available can often hold public transport back, says an article in the Denver Post. Industry professionals call this the ‘first mile-last mile’ problem, and it means transit systems everywhere have trouble reaching their full potential.
To use Lyft, passengers need to download the app to their phone, sign up for the service, and enter their phone number, as well as a form of payment. When someone needs a ride, they open the app and connect with a nearby driver. Once the ride is confirmed, the app shows the passenger photos of the car and driver, and gives the driver's name.
Centennial spokeswoman Allison Wittern said that the city's program is a proprietary app, and the first of its kind anywhere in the country. If the pilot program is successful, Centennial plans to expand it, though at this time I i's limited to those who work and live in the transit district's current Call-n-Ride service area. The new service will be available Monday through Friday, 5:30 am until 7:00 pm.
Cities like Centennial can benefit by working with postcard printing companies, which can devise cards for area-wide mailings.
