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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Technology Considerations for Rural Transportation Programs

Technology can support every aspect of a rural transportation program, from service delivery and marketing and outreach to data management and route planning. Technology also has the potential to increase efficiency, expand mobility options, facilitate organizational partnerships, coordinate rides, and improve safety.

Software Solutions

Rural transportation programs use different software solutions, including for scheduling, dispatch, communication, billing, and gathering data such as trip distance, destination, and costs. When selecting software, rural programs should consider how different applications operate, interact, and share data. In some cases, supplemental tools, such as application programming interfaces (APIs), may be needed to allow different applications to communicate and share data.

Examples of software some rural transportation programs are using include:

  • RideSheet – RideSheet is a free, open-source scheduling software for rural, nonprofit transit providers. It was developed by Full Path Transit Technology, with funding support from AARP. Rural communities are using this software to electronically generate ride requests and communicate with drivers, rather than using phone, email, and text messages to schedule rides.

Data Standards

Data standards refer to how transportation data — including trip planning and scheduling information — are communicated and exchanged. They help rural transportation programs share data in a standardized way. There are different types of data specifications and standards. Two important open universal data standards for rural transportation programs are:

  • General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) helps customers find information about available transportation services. The GTFS is stewarded by MobilityData and is the standard data format for transit passenger information for public transportation.
  • Transactional Data Specification (TDS) allows different types of demand-response transportation providers to share data about trips (for example, destination, pickup times, cost). The TDS was published in 2019 by the Transportation Research Board and formats and exchanges trip data to support trip requests, scheduling, and payment across different providers.

Open and universal data standards like the TDS and GTFS can enable a more seamless and cost-effective approach for data sharing and exchange across different transportation providers. Proprietary standards do not allow information to be shared with other platforms and require each provider to program and update an API to facilitate interoperability. When transportation programs use common, open, and universal data standards and specifications, they increase collaboration and coordination among transportation programs, which ultimately benefits people in rural communities.

Automation and Autonomous Vehicles

Automation and autonomous vehicles will impact transportation in rural communities. The U.S. Department of Transportation has funded a Rural Autonomous Vehicle Research Program to better understand how autonomous vehicles can benefit rural and tribal communities. Some of the automated driving systems currently being piloted in rural communities include a project called Automated Driving Systems for Rural America, which is testing the capabilities of a driverless bus in rural Iowa, and the Rural Automated Driving Systems Project by DriveOhio in Appalachian Ohio.

Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles have the potential to reduce transportation costs, increase accessibility, and decrease environmental impacts of transportation in rural areas. As use of electric vehicles increases in the U.S., there will be a need for improved electric mobility infrastructure in rural areas, such as charging stations along highways. The U.S. Department of Transportation released the Toolkit for Planning and Funding Rural Electric Mobility Infrastructure for rural communities to plan for and fund electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The toolkit describes progress towards electric vehicle readiness in rural communities, benefits and implementation challenges, partnership and funding opportunities, and infrastructure planning in rural areas.

Other Types of Technology

Rural transportation programs may also use or interact with other types of technology. Examples of other technologies, and their implementation considerations, include:

  • Geographic information system (GIS) – GIS is a tool for understanding geographic data. Transportation programs can use GIS for route planning, fleet management, and traffic monitoring, among other uses. There are many GIS software options available, including licensed software and free and open source software.
  • Ridesharing apps – These are mobile apps used to schedule rides with drivers. Rural programs interested in implementing ridesharing programs should consider potential costs, such as app development and user fees, and whether lower-tech options are also needed to meet the needs of different populations. For example, some rural areas have gaps in mobile coverage and have limited broadband internet, and some populations may not have a smartphone.
  • Drones – Using drone technology is a novel method of overcoming access and availability barriers to healthcare supplies and pharmaceuticals. It has been used in a rural area of Virginia by the Health Wagon program to deliver medications.

Resources to Learn More

Innovations in Rural Public Transportation: Data Standards Undergird Equity
Document
Describes the importance of universal data standards to support equitable access to transportation services.
Author(s): Lynott, J.
Organization(s): AARP Public Policy Institute
Date: 4/2023

More Mobility, Stronger Connections: It's Time to Modernize Demand Responsive Transportation Using the Transactional Data Specification
Document
Describes how transactional data specification for demand responsive transportation offers a method of collaboration between all demand-responsive providers both public and nonprofit/volunteer transit organizations.
Organization(s): AARP Public Policy Institute, National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
Date: 4/2021