First Mile Program

As new light rail systems and bus rapid transit services are developed in the United States, millions of people will remain unable to access public transit for their traveling needs. Many car-oriented people are unable or unwilling to walk over 1/4 of a mile to reach a new or existing transit service, and park-and-ride facilities are not always cost-efficient alternatives. There is a new option for bridging this “first mile / last mile” gap through the integration small and efficient Local-use Electric Vehicles (LEVs), on-demand shuttles, and/or car sharing services into door-to-door transit solutions. These vehicles and services are promising since they represent a “smaller step” from the familiar car for short trips.

The bundling of these advanced mobility options at transit hubs into a “transportation toolbox” has the strong potential to significantly increase the cost effectiveness of transit services while improving access for transit riders. Through its First Mile program, WestStart-CALSTART is working to bring together key industry stakeholder groups (transit operators, urban planners, advanced mobility service providers, and transit users) in an effort to encourage innovation with an eye towards improving the cost effectiveness and attractiveness of public transit.

It is an exciting time for this new era of Internet-driven multi-modal transportation that will reduce levels of car ownership, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and increase use of transit services. WestStart-CALSTART is a leader in this emerging industry, acting as a catalyst to help develop, demonstrate, evaluate and commercialize innovative mobility technologies, systems, and services, some of which are:

Car Sharing: A membership-based service for short-term car rental that provides access to a network of vehicles located at transit stations, office campuses and residential neighborhoods and other convenient locations

Station Cars: Vehicles that are used specifically for home-to-station or station-to-work trips to provide a ‘last mile’ link from the transit stations

E-Bike and E-Scooter Rental and Storage: An increasing number of transit stations provide bike storage services and in some cases short-term rental of bikes and scooters to assist travelers in making short trips to and from transit stations

Door-to-door transit: Some transit agencies are now providing on-demand transit services with flexible routes that will pickup and drop-off travelers right at their doorstep.