EZConnect will allow transit users across multiple counties one phone number and website to schedule paratransit and microtransit trips.
Thanks to the generous funding by ODOT, EZConnect has is set to launch phase 1 of EZconnect this summer allowing for Metro and BCRTA to take late night calls at a single call center.
Later phases will expand to Northeast Ohio bringing in other transit agencies including SARTA, Trumbull County Transit, CARTS, WRTA and Laketran to coordinate call-taking, scheduling and customer service needs. By pooling their existing resources, transit agencies can enhance mobility management and serve their customers better.
NEORide has received state and federal funding from ODOT's OTP2 program, FTA's EMI Grant, DOT's ATMCTD Grant and the 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill to help implement this project which includes:
Developing coordinated policies
Branding
A common phone system hosted at a central location
Customer profile database and eligibility management
IVR Software and trip taking
Integration with current EZfare mobile ticketing platform
Via has been selected as our Integrated Mobility Platform vendor to provide tools to schedule and managed all non-fixed route trip. Via is also currently implementing microtransit (and in some cases also paratransit) software for over 10 NEORide agencies.
To keep up to date this this project and learn more, visit www.ezconnect.org.