A Case Study on How to Leverage UZURV to Quickly Onboard a Network of FTA-Compliant Drivers, Provide Flexible Supplemental ADA Rides, and Relieve Pressure on the Traditional Fleet
Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) operates MobilityLink, one of the largest and most comprehensive ADA paratransit programs in the country. Each weekday, MobilityLink delivers roughly 5,000 one-way trips to customers whose disabilities limit their use of other MTA services. The program is large enough that MTA provides the service through several contracted transportation service providers. For Baltimore, paratransit is a very big deal.
And it’s critical for the quality of life of MobilityLink riders. They depend on the MTA for timely transportation to and from work, school, personal errands, life-sustaining healthcare services, and all the other places that customers reach every day via public transit.
In 2021, like systems all across the country, rider demand began returning during an unprecedented period of driver shortages. At one point, MobilityLink was missing one-third of its paratransit operators – and on-time performance had predictably become a huge challenge with community concern rising.
The Solution - Introducing a New Partner and New Pool of Drivers
One of the MTA’s long-time paratransit contractors is mobility service provider, Transdev, which partners with UZURV in other markets. Transdev knew that the UZURV technology platform could quickly onboard fully ADA-compliant drivers for an ADA supplemental paratransit program. They also had confidence that UZURV drivers would provide safe, on-time, door-to-door service for MTA riders and relieve some of the pressure on MobilityLink. So, Transdev proposed bringing UZURV on board as a supplemental provider to its traditional service. MTA embraced the innovative approach to its paratransit challenges.
Transdev Leverages UZURV in Baltimore
TransDev is familiar with the speed and flexibility of standing up UZURVs Adaptive Transportation Network Company (Adaptive TNC) from partnerships for Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) and Valley Metro in Phoenix. So they recommended that UZURV be brought on as a supplemental paratransit provider. In this way, Transdev would continue to operate the bulk of service using its fleet of MTA-provided paratransit vans. UZURV would be assigned trips that would not fit into an existing route, trips that would undermine the productivity of an existing route, and trips that would otherwise run late as a result of traffic congestion or road construction.
MTA officials vetting the Adaptive TNC model learned how UZURV was built from the ground up to provide safe, reliable, and federally compliant paratransit services for MobilityLink riders. UZURV features:
- the UZURV Assistive Mobility Platform recruits and onboards drivers who are able to meet FTA-mandated background checks and substance abuse testing requirements – using a combination of automation and human verification.
- UZURV drivers operate their own vehicles, which must meet all contractual requirements regarding age, mileage, and condition – but who are attracted to gig work instead of staff positions.
- UZURV operates a 24/7 Customer Service Center which can accept trip requests and dispatches and monitors every trip – in real-time.
- In those markets where wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) service is needed, UZURV partners with third-party providers who also agree to meet all applicable federal, state, local and contractual requirements.
UZURV’s approach is highly scalable, has no set-up or integration fees, and allowed MTA to pay only per trip completed. As a result, the average cost for a trip on UZURV is consistently lower than the average cost for the same trip on traditional paratransit.
Core Outcomes
25%
25% Cost Savings Per Ride Mile
Daily Trip Volumes Grew by 5X
5X
97%
On-time performance above 97%
A Quick Start and Positive Results
UZURV began providing service on October 1, 2021, and after 6 months of trips the results were stellar:
- More than 15,000 one-way trips were provided to more than 3,800 individual riders
- Within months absorbed 5x growth in daily trip volumes
- On-time performance above 97.1%
- 25% Cost Savings Per Ride Mile to MTA
- Exceptional customer satisfaction
Margo, an MTA rider commented about her experience online, “Best service, I am so glad that they added this to MTA MobilityLink Baltimore.”
“Best service, I am so glad that they added this to MTA MobilityLink Baltimore.”
Margo - MTA UZURV Rider
But the results go farther.
In addition to the positive results identified above, Transdev reports that UZURV has positively contributed to its operations. And the MTA is also pleased. In fact, in its most recent procurement for MobilityLink service providers, the MTA included language to increase the use of Non-Dedicated Service Providers (NDSP) that meet ADA, FTA, and Maryland requirements.
The MTA knows it can leverage UZURV for ADA paratransit service as driver numbers fluctuate and to use UZURV strategically to improve efficiencies and its key performance metrics. The Adapative TNC model that MTA leverages through UZURV has been shown to provide great value. In fact, another MobilityLink provider is expected to launch its own partnership with UZURV in 2022.
Drivers are the Soul of the UZURV Model
One of the biggest challenges that virtually every transit agency (and provider) is facing is driver recruitment and retention. And while UZURV is no exception, driver engagement in Baltimore is very high. It helps that UZURV pays well. However, the real reason is that drivers appreciate the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of Baltimore residents who depend on MobilityLink. UZURV driver onboarding and retention teams at UZURV keep drivers motivated and up to speed on program requirements. The age of UZURV drivers is evenly spread across age groups, trending older than traditional ridesharing drivers, and they share the same mission-oriented sense of purpose.
“Riders say – I love that I’m in a private ride versus waiting for a bus. … They enjoy a personal ride and they enjoy talking with me. And I’m a people person and I love helping others.”
Kevin Blake - UZURV Driver
Says UZURV driver Kevin Blake, “Riders say – I love that I’m in a private ride versus waiting for a bus. … They enjoy a personal ride and they enjoy talking with me. And I’m a people person and I love helping others.” UZURV MobilityLink driver Mirza Ghani puts it very succinctly. “I like to help people. To help people is a very good job and it’s safe.”
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