Why OpenTransit?

New tools for public transit, owned by the citizens it serves

Municipal transit is seen as necessary 'public good' infrastructure that all municipalities above a certain size must provide. We contend that for small and mid-size municipalities, existing transit tools - consisting almost exclusively of scheduled, fixed-route buses - is a 'transport of last resort' that is not only impractical for most residents, but also incurs a high 'unit cost': the inclusive per-ride cost factoring in the rider fare, government subsidies and operating expenses.

Ridesharing platforms have proven themselves as viable means of transportation in larger cities, but have not traditionally been seen as a public transportation tool. We believe there is a significant opportunity to integrate ridesharing as a first and last-mile service for existing transit systems, improving accessibility, system efficiency and overall usage. of a locally-operated ridesharing service delivered through a not-for-profit model that allows 100% of ridesharing revenues and transit subsidies to stay within the municipality.

The Benefits

Better Public Transit

Smaller municipalities should have the same access to transit that the big cities do. OpenTransit's not-for-profit model makes local ridesharing economically sustainable, and ensures transit subsidies and fare revenue stays in the local economy.

No-cost Platform

The OpenTransit rideshare platform is provided to municipalities for free. It is a turnkey service that includes a customizable mobile app for drivers and riders, payment platform, administrative tools and secure identity and data management.

Local Job Creation

Each deployment of the OpenTransit network is managed by a local software team, providing an immediate base for local tech job growth. In addition, residents will be able to earn supplemental income as drivers (with optional subsidies as determined by individual municipalities).

Network Effects

Collectively, local software teams form a network of digital service centres sharing a common technology stack maintained by the OpenTransit Foundation. Platform improvements and new applications developed by one team can be shared by all.

Partners and Supporters

Get Involved

OpenTransit is a project of OpenLocal. We develop affordable, sustainable digital services and infrastructure for municipalities and local organizations. We believe that by developing open source digital tools and providing frameworks that can be adapted for local use, we can create better access to services, improve economic resiliency, create employment opportunities and support local digital skills development. If you're interested in talking to us about OpenTransit or OpenLocal Delivery, please send us an email.

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