Ride Systems offers no more wondering, no more waiting

Fresno Area Express has been an active topic recently, both in Fresno City Council chambers and in local media. The precipitous drop in ridership (50 percent in four years) is both a concern and a bold wake-up. Uber and Lyft are outstanding examples of what this new generation of expectation is about.

A bus stop is not a destination; it is a detour for a passenger. But technology exists that bridges the gap between the present public bus company and the individual-rider, Uber-type system.

Technology connects the passenger with a way to get to his destination – the real destination - using LTE data, a public app, GPS and smart devices. There is a company in Morgan, Utah, that has advanced the transit industry into the current expectation with their software, public app and smart devices; Ride Systems. I have witnessed their product.

If the ultimate Fresno transit system is to become a form of a fare-subsidized hybrid of multi-passenger vehicles and door-to-door service, the City Council should listen to Ride Systems’ presentation. It integrates sophisticated flexible GPS routing, passenger input and feedback, administrative software, instant office-to-driver communication and a public app that uses real time with a very positive rider experience.

This story was originally published November 30, 2017 at 2:25 PM with the headline "Ride Systems offers no more wondering, no more waiting."