Howard County has launched a new microtransit program it hopes will transform commuting for riders in its service zone along the Route One corridor.Beginning Monday, riders can now book low-cost rides through the HoCo RapidRide app. To celebrate the launch and encourage ridership, however, rides for the first month are free through April 17.“HoCo RapidRide is an innovative new transit service that will meet major gaps in public transportation along our Route One corridor,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said in a statement. “Through HoCo RapidRide, residents in Elkridge, Jessup, and Savage will be able to better travel around their neighborhoods and key destinations nearby. This microtransit transit service is another major step forward in our efforts to promote more accessible transportation connections for all.”The program is a collaboration with a service provider called Via, and it’s designed to expand Howard County’s existing public transit system to make transportation easier for people who can’t get to fixed-location bus stops. The Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland has helped coordinate the creation of the program.When someone books a ride on HoCo RapidRide, the app matches other passengers headed in the same direction into one vehicle, creating efficient shared trips. Howard County has acquired four Dodge ProMaster 3500s for this service, each of which can transport seven passengers.HoCo RapidRide will operate Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. After the first month, each ride will cost $2. Senior Citizens and HCPSS students, however, may continue to ride for free.Screenshot from HoCo RapidRide website.The service area is mostly located along the northern Route One corridor, serving Elkridge, Jessup, and Savage. It also extends east to incorporate popular shopping areas like Dobbin Center, Snowden Square, and Gateway Overlook.Riders who use wheelchairs can toggle “Wheelchair accessibility” in the “Account” tab of the HoCo RapidRide mobile app. When they request a ride, they will be matched with a wheelchair accessible vehicle.“The service area selected for this pilot is primarily automobile-oriented and not easily or effectively served by traditional fixed-route service only,” said Clarence Dickerson, III, administrator for the Office of Transportation. “These challenges, coupled with an improving but still difficult pedestrian environment, are the main barriers to broader transit adoption in the area. The introduction of HoCo RapidRide will expand local transit coverage and complement the regional transit network through first and last mile connections.”The HoCo RapidRide was made possible because of a $530,000 grant awarded to Howard County in 2023 through the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Statewide Transit Innovation Grant (STIG) and budgeted a match of $530,000. The HoCo RapidRide service is a pilot program, and success will be evaluated throughout one year of service.For more information about HoCo RapidRide, please click this link.The HoCo RapidRide app is available in both the Apple Store and at Google Play. ...read more read less