Two years ago, Mitchell Elliott had a tough time convincing his organization that an on-demand transportation service would work in Wise and Lee Counties. But the program was far more successful than he could have expected, averaging more than 200 rides a day.
“I really believe that this is the future of rural transportation,” Elliott said. “It’s been a game-changer for us. It really has.”
Many residents in rural areas don’t have access to buses or transit, or when they do, it means riders face a long wait. Operating a fixed-route transit system in rural areas can be expensive, and Elliott said microtransit has allowed them to significantly reduce their transit costs. They received a grant to offer service fare-free for at least four years.
The on-demand system serves anyone within a 12-mile radius in the town of Wise and the city of Norton.
“It works a whole lot like Uber and Lyft,” Elliott explained. “If they booked a ride, we could have a ride to them within about ten minutes.”
Elliott said most riders travel to a doctor’s appointment, pharmacy, grocery store, or to work.
“We’ve had a lot of people who were able to work a full-time job because they had access to it.”
The Mountain Empire microtransit recently won a national award, and this fall, they plan to expand, adding Big Stone Gap and Duffield to their on-demand service.
Rides can be requested from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. using a smart phone app, or by calling Mountain Empire Older Citizens at 276-523-7433.
