River Region Times

MONTGOMERY – Mayor Steven L. Reed joined local leaders, public transportation advocates and members of The M Transit System team last week to launch a new micro-transit shuttle system and celebrate the arrival of 11 new vehicles that will join The M fleet.

These developments are part of the $6.5 million in CARES Act funding the City received under the leadership of Mayor Reed to significantly improve public transportation in Montgomery through increased mobility, efficiency and access.

Five 26-passenger buses, two 20-passenger buses and three microtransit executive-style shuttles are the latest developments that have officially entered service. The shuttles will be part of a new system that runs passengers between downtown and the Montgomery Regional Airport via app, web-based and dial-in interfaces that offer an alternative, on-demand hailing system. The system will offer more frequent and convenient trips while reducing overall trip times. City transportation officials plan to bring more shuttles in to service soon that will expand routes to high traffic hubs across the community. Through CARES Act funding, the City also installed 13 new bus shelters.

The announcement marked another promise kept by Mayor Steven L. Reed who prioritized improving public transportation infrastructure and options for residents through the Montgomery United Transition Plan (available online at https://www.montgomeryal.gov/home/showdocument?id=13159). This will be the first of many steps to overhaul Montgomery’s public transit system.

“These projects signify a shift in our city’s approach to public transportation,” Mayor Reed said. “A more reliable transit system is necessary to reach our goal of expanding access to critical resources and services for all Montgomery residents. We also see this as the first of several transit investments that impact our future and correlate with the needs and desires of the knowledge-based, innovation economy. We look forward to continuing to build a better, more efficient and service-oriented system that tracks with our vision of what Montgomery can be.”

The often-overlooked transit system has also been cited as an impediment to Montgomery’s growth and hinders economic prospects of many residents. According to a survey cited in the Envision Montgomery 2040 Comprehensive Plan Draft ( https://envisionmontgomery2040.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/MO_Comprehensive-Plan_ADOPTED_200710_SMALL.pdf?3d8f6c&3d8f6c), 77 percent of The M riders polled use the service at least twice a week. The majority of riders are older than 45 and their destinations are evenly split between work, home and personal business. With service headways of at least 60 minutes – even on weekdays, riders often deal with missed appointments and arriving late to work/home when taking The M.

Original source can be found here