Shared Ride Taxi Feeder Service in Memphis, TN

摘要

From May 1983 through October 1984, the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) conducted the Taxi Feeder Demonstration Project. It entailed the operation of fixed-route feeder services through three low-density neighborhoods and one industrial park, connecting them to the public bus system. These feeder services, called the 'Neighborhood Shuttle,' were operated by private suppliers, who were selected by competitive bid on a route-by-route basis, under contract to the transit authority. The private contractors operated a total of five to ten passenger vehicles along the system of shuttle routes. A grant received from the U.S. Department of Transportation under its Service and Methods Demonstration Program funded the project. Neighborhood Shuttle service was implemented as a low-cost way to provide minimal transit service to low-demand, low-density areas. Based on available information, it would appear that privately contracted shuttle service is less costly to operate than conventional MATA fixed-route bus on a total cost basis, but more expensive on a cost per passenger basis.