PAG Microtransit +
Dial-a-Ride Study

The Dial-a-Ride and Microtransit Service Area Analysis, underway by Pima Association of Governments, will provide a comprehensive assessment of current public transit in Pima County and service gaps to determine if microtransit services are feasible, as well as find opportunities to improve existing dial-a-ride service. This study and associated report will describe the trip-making activity in the greater Tucson region and how transit services currently serve transportation demand.

The Existing Transit Conditions section of the analysis will provide an overview of existing public transit in Pima County, including a review of relevant plans and studies, organizational structure, service coverage, and historical ridership from the past five years (when available). The Transit Needs Assessment section will examine socioeconomic factors to identify areas of high transit demand and will analyze data from an activity-based model to find trip-making trends within the greater Tucson region.

Findings from these assessments, combined with feedback collected during public outreach, will help evaluate the current transit system’s performance, identify gaps and areas of improvement to demand-responsive and fixed-route services, and plan system expansions via recommendations and an implementation plan.

Purpose of the study

PAG, through the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), provides fixed-route and dial-a-ride services across the region. Service covers mostly urban areas within the county but there are still areas that don’t have access to transit. This study is analyzing the feasibility of providing services in those areas while at the same time exploring alternatives to improve service in existing dial-a-ride and fixed-route service areas.

Additionally, PAG is exploring the feasibility of providing transit service to the Picture Rocks and Vail areas, which are not served by regular transit, and connect those communities to employment, health and recreational activities through public transportation, while improving air quality. This study will identify which type of transit service, if needed, will best serve the travel demand of those communities.

Goals

The Dial-a-Ride and Microtransit Service Area Analysis has the following goals:

  • Explore the feasibility of providing microtransit service in areas that lack access to transit
  • Identify poor performing routes that could be replaced with microtransit services
  • Evaluate existing dial-a-ride services and opportunities for service improvement
  • Explore the feasibility of upgrading dial-a-ride service to microtransit to improve service provided to the community
  • Identify general recommendations that could improve and strengthen current service across the service area
  • Identify potential transit service models that could serve Picture Rocks and Vail
  • Identify appropriate microtransit service models
  • Prepare a microtransit implementation plan, if microtransit service is feasible
  • Improve air quality through increased transit use and reduction of single occupancy vehicles

What is Microtransit?

Microtransit is a service model used to serve areas that have difficulty accessing or no access to regular bus service. Similar to private on-demand services, such as Uber and Lyft, microtransit users can reserve and pay for trips online and receive same day service, usually within a 10-to-30-minute window, whether using personal computers or personal mobile devices connected to the internet. Riders are typically picked up at their preferred location and taken to their preferred destination (curb-to-curb service). Microtransit trips are shared with other riders that have destinations in the same service area to increase efficiency and improve air quality.

Two women standing inside a bus, smiling.

Public Engagement Opportunities

Your input will help us determine community needs and develop recommendations to improve mobility options for all of you.

The public is invited to complete the study’s preference survey at the following link: 

English survey – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M5538RX

Spanish survey – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CFYNL7X

The schedule of in-person pop-ups and community engagement events is as follows:

  • March 18, 2025
    • Citizens for Picture Rocks, beginning at 6 p.m.
      • Picture Rocks Community Center, 5615 N. Sanders Road
  • March 19, 2025
    • Tohono Ta’dai Transit Center, from 7:30 to 9 a.m.
      • 221 E. Wetmore Road
    •  Joyner-Green Valley Library, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
      • 601 N. La Canada Drive
  • March 20, 2025
    • Roy Laos Transit Center, from 7:30 to 9 a.m.
      • 205 W. Irvington Road
    • Ronstadt Transit Center, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
      • 215 E. Congress Street

If there is additional information you want to share with us, please leave your comments in the comments section below:

A diverse group of individuals sit in on a public meeting.

Public Comment Form

Documents

A Sun Van waits to make a turn at an intersection.