Case Study: GRTC achieves lower-cost, on-demand paratransit with Roundtrip

Significantly Reducing Wait Times for 11,000 Paratransit Trips

GRTC, the primary public transportation and paratransit provider for the Richmond, Virginia region, was struggling to keep up with growing demand for more than 1,000 daily paratransit trips. Customers were experiencing late or missed rides, and GRTC needed a more flexible, same-day service that stayed within ADA/FTA guidelines. In 2017, GRTC partnered with Roundtrip to launch CARE On-Demand, using Roundtrip’s booking and transportation platform to add on-demand wheelchair-accessible rides supported by a call center and online booking.

Roundtrip helped GRTC deliver more premium, on-demand paratransit at nearly 50% lower cost, reducing the cost per trip from $29 to $15. The program has saved GRTC more than $100,000 since launch, increased average monthly ride volume for CARE members by 7x, and completed over 11,000 rides with 98% on-time arrivals. Roundtrip also enabled a smooth transition from phone-based scheduling to online booking, improving convenience and reliability for riders.

GRTC

Carrie Rose Pace

Director