Trending
WARREN -- Regional transit entities are working together to study the possibility of a call center that would navigate the different transit options available to callers.
That way, callers wouldn't have to make multiple calls to book the rides for which they qualify.
The "one-call" stop would make it easier for people to book their rides, said Dean Harris, executive director of the Western Reserve Transit Authority, and Mike Salamone, Trumbull County's transit administrator.
WRTA, Trumbull County, and transit systems in Columbiana, Stark, Wayne and Medina Counties are using part of a $193,000 Ohio Department of Transportation grant to take part in the study. The grant came through NEORide, a council of governments comprised of 15 transit systems that promotes regional solutions to public transportation.
"We want to develop a system to make it easier for people to schedule trips, and to link trips between different counties," Harris said.
When people call to schedule a ride, their circumstances often dictate which services they qualify for because of limitations on the way federal and state transportation dollars can be spent, or because of insurance, age and disability.
If there were a regional call center, dispatchers would navigate the complexities, instead of the caller. A dispatcher can identify which services the rider qualifies for and help him / her connect to the most efficient rides.
Now, some callers may call one service for a ride, but may be told to call another instead. The dispatcher would schedule the rides and send drivers out. Sometimes a caller tries one service, finds there is no availability and has to make calls to other transit organizations to look for an opening, often discouraging them, said Diane Siskowic-Jurkovic, Trumbull County senior levy administrator.
A simplified system would be easier on seniors, she said.
"We could have multiple locations, here and in other transit systems, and we would have the same software as the other organizations. So no matter where the caller is in the system, a customer service representative will be available somewhere to handle the call. The software will bring up the available trips in the area and sign them up for a trip. It will give us better coverage for the area, and could expand our work hours," Harris said.
Salamone said he and the other transit officials are gathering information for the study about the operations that exist in the community. Besides public transit authorities, community organizations and private companies also have transit options, and could be integrated into the system, too.