Crowdsourcing tools seek input from DART bus riders

Whether it's a bus trip to or from work, shopping or home, public transportation doesn't necessarily stop directly in front of a passenger's origin or destination.

Barriers to riding transit may include so-called incomplete streets that lack safe, connected and well-maintained infrastructure for pedestrians, bicyclists and people with disabilities. Some bus stops may lack amenities such shelters or lighting. DART wants transit riders to provide input on their accessibility to and from a bus stop in Delaware. This is often described as the first mile/last mile transit experience.

The Institute for Public Administration at the University of Delaware has collaborated with the Delaware Transit Corporation, which operates DART statewide transit services, to develop three map-based crowdsourcing tools on first mile/last mile bus stop accessibility in Delaware.

Crowdsourcing involves the use of web and mobile-based applications to obtain information, insight and knowledge from the public. DART bus riders are invited to use one of three online, map-based tools to share a first mile/last mile accessibility experience. To see all crowdsourcing tools, including a Wikimap, Geoform and GIS Crowdsource Story Map, go to www.MobilityDE.org.

The three crowdsourcing tools are part of a statewide Mobility in Motion initiative. Public input and data is being gathered to identify public transit and human services transportation barriers, challenges and gaps in services in Delaware. The information will be used to develop a Coordinated Public Transit – Human Services Transportation Plan for the State of Delaware. The coordinated plan will serve as a strategic framework for addressing the state’s existing and future mobility needs. Information collected from the crowdsourcing tools will help to identify needed bus stop accessibility improvements related to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, ADA accessibility and connectivity.

The crowdsourcing tools are not designed to report a roadway condition that should be addressed immediately, such as a traffic signal malfunction. For those issues, contact the Transportation Management Center at the Delaware Department of Transportation, which operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year, at 302-659-4600, #77 from a cellphone or email deldottmc@state.de.us.

For more information on this initiative with UD’s IPA, contact IPA policy scientists Marcia Scott at msscott@udel.edu or Julia O'Hanlon at jusmith@udel.edu.