Announcements, News Releases
MAX – Direct Micro Transit
BIRMINGHAM-JEFFERSON COUNTY TRANSIT AUTHORITY LAUNCHES MAX-DIRECT
AT PRESS CONFERENCE ON NOVEMBER 1, 2019
Innovative On-Demand Ride Share Service For Mountain Brook Customers
Birmingham, AL (October 31, 2019) – The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) announces the launch of MAX-DIRECT, a flexible and dynamic on-demand microtransit shuttle which will service riders to Mountain Brook. The new service, available beginning Monday, November 4, 2019, will replace two fixed routes, Route 502 Cherokee Bend and 504 Hermitage.
Similar to a ride-hailing service, MAX-DIRECT uses a smartphone App for riders to schedule customized curb-to-curb microtransit trips. A smaller, neighborhood-friendly shuttle bus will pick up riders at Central Station and drop them off at a requested address. It will also pick passengers up at their destination within the coverage area and deliver them to Central Station. The new service canalso accommodate passengers with disabilities.
A press conference to announce additional details and an App tutorial will be held on November 1, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at BJCTA Central Station, 1735 Morris Avenue, Birmingham, AL.
“We are always looking for ways to ensure that our service meets the needs of our customers. We at BJCTA believe that the MAX-DIRECT service will help accomplish that,” said Frank T. Martin, Executive Director/CEO of the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority. “By simplydownloading the TransLoc App, they will have the ability to request a ride, obtain an estimated pick up time and track their bus in real time.”
BJCTA recognizes that not all customers have access to a smart phone, making usage of the App an impossibility. For those customers, requests for rides will be accepted online at www.ondemand.transloc.com or by calling 205-521-0101, #5. Wait times for service are subject to vehicle availability and demand.
As technology evolves and transit offerings expand, the BJCTA continues to search for innovative ways to address accessibility and customer mobility. This new service offers a complement to existing fixed route bus service by providing a curb to curb service that is more direct.
The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority is the public transportation leader in Central Alabama. The Authority averages three million riders per year with more than 300 employees. For more information, visit www.maxtransit.org.
TransLoc is a subsidiary of Ford Smart Mobility. They are a part of a broad suite of mobility solutions intended to enhance both public and private transit agencies. Together, they are working to solve the world’s mobility challenges and usher in the future of modern transportation in every part of the globe. For more information, visit www.transloc.com.
