City of Birmingham Micro-transit Pilot
Purpose
The City of Birmingham (City) is soliciting proposals from qualified providers of microtransit services to pilot an on-demand microtransit system to the City.
RFP Summary
The City of Birmingham seeks to reduce its automobile dependency. Elected leadership recognizes that accomplishing daily tasks without a private vehicle is extraordinarily difficult—especially for the 29 percent of Birmingham residents who are living in poverty. The city seeks to provide a better quality of service to its residents with on-demand micro transit as a new public transportation option that is i. Safe and reliable operation; ii. Economic to operate and maintain; iii. Optimum performance, comfort, and safety; and iv. Full compliance with all applicable rules, regulations, standards, local, state and federal laws and regulations.
Goals/Objectives
The city seeks to provide a better quality of service to its residents with on-demand micro transit as a new public transportation option that is:
i. Safe and reliable operation;
ii. Economic to operate and maintain;
iii. Optimum performance, comfort, and safety;
iv. Full compliance with all applicable rules, regulations, standards, local, state and federal laws and regulations.
Tangible Work Products / Scope of Work
The City is seeking a public-private partnership for microtransit services as defined by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA): “IT-enabled private multi-passenger transportation services, such as Bridj, Chariot, Split, and Via, that serve passengers using dynamically generated routes, and may expect passengers to make their way to and from common pick-up and drop-off points. Vehicles can range from large SUVs to vans to shuttle buses. Because they provide transit-like service but on a smaller, more flexible scale, these new services have been referred to as “microtransit”
1. Service area should be coterminous with the City limits of Birmingham.
2. Microtransit fleet should be comprised of vehicles that can carry at least 6 passengers at a time.
3. Service hours must include 7am – 7pm seven days a week; additional service hours are encouraged on evenings and weekends.
4. Wait times should not exceed an average of 15 minutes.
5. Vendor must submit marketing and community outreach plan.
6. Vendor must permit the City set the fare and recoup these payments to sustain the service.
7. Vendors must provide access to microtransit to customers without a smartphone.
8. Vendors must provide a way to purchase microtransit without a smartphone and include solutions for the unbanked.
9. Vendor must be able to share data on unique new riders and statistics on rider retention over time.
10. Vendor must be able to share data on cancellation rates and how they may relate to other factors such as wait time (controlling for weather).
11. Vendor must be able to share data on on-time performance.
12. Vendor must be able to share data on how riders learned about the service (marketing effectiveness).
13. Microtransit fleet should include ADA accessible vehicles that can provide paratransit services.
14. Vendor must accept and work with any third-party service providers that the City may need to contract to improve the city-owned microtransit service.
15. Vendor must employ a local manager or management team to work with the City in the administration and development of microtransit services.
Beneficial Links / Documents cited in RFP/ Specifications
https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/shared-mobility-definitions
