GO Connect contract would broaden its service area north and south

The Miami-Dade County Transportation, Mobility and Planning Committee was to vote this week on whether to renew on-demand transit service Go Connect for three more years.

The roughly $23 million extended renewal would support expansion of the on-demand transit program to other areas of Miami-Dade and fill transit gaps in areas with no or low transit frequency, such as northern and southern areas of the county, according to a memo by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava recommending renewed approval.

Complementing the Better Bus Network and the South Dade Bus Rapid Transit, GO Connect now has 19 minivans and plans to add 20 to 24 needed to meet demand and expand the service across the county.

Managed by River North Transit, the on-demand program has recruited a pool of 60 drivers needed to run the current service and is well placed to support the planned expansion with added drivers, the mayor’s memo said.

GO Connect shuttles nearby users to and from Metrorail and other transit stations and nearby destinations. Riders can order the on-demand service through the Go Connect app, available on the Apple Store and Google Play. The service is similar to Uber’s UberPool and Lyft’s shared ride options, which require users to share rides with other passengers within specific “geofence” areas and possibly walk to nearby pickup and drop-off points.

Since it began in October 2020, demand for the shared ridership program has mushroomed. To date, the service has handled over 174,500 rides across its four service zones, which include the Town of Cutler Bay, Dadeland/South Miami, West Kendall and Civic Center, according to the memo.

GO Connect ridership has increased by over 60% in the past year, peaking in March with over 20,000 ride requests and 11,983 completed rides.

Currently, Miami-Dade’s GO Connect provides over 500 rides weekdays, reducing traffic and feeding into Miami-Dade’s fixed transit system, the memo said. In March, the app got 9,165 more ride requests and gave 4,633 more rides than in March 2022. This increasing trend shows the significant continual growth since GO Connect launched – exceeding what the existing contract provides for.

The service is under significant pressure to meet demand as it grows, with over 10% of rides denied daily due to high demand, the memo continued.

The mayor called for immediate action to prevent disruption in commuting and transit patterns.

According to a county rider survey in August 2022, GO Connect has provided more convenient and affordable service options while improving access to major transit corridors. About 93% of responders said they would feel disappointed if GO Connect disappeared. The survey found that about 42% of respondents make under $25,000 a year, suggesting that GO Connect provides an affordable option for people who would otherwise have limited mobility.

According to the data, about 30% of the rides are to and from Metrorail and Transitway stations, increasing access to major transit corridors while serving first- and last-mile trips.

If a contract renewal recommendation passes at the transportation and mobility committee meeting, it will be placed on the next county commission agenda for approval.

“GO Connect is a clear example of how technology and innovation can strengthen the reach of our county’s existing bus and train lines,” Carlos Cruz-Casas, chief innovation officer for Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works, told Miami Today in February, “and open new doors for everyone in our community to get where they need to go.”