ECAT Fixed-Route Service Redesign 2025

Escambia County - Mass Transit Department seeks quotes for professional, technical, and administrative assistance for the redevelopment of Escambia County's Mass Transit Fixed-Route Service Redesign.

The Mass Transit Department's goal is to deliver a seamless multi-modal network through integrated fixed-route, microtransit, and paratransit services for Escambia County's residents, workers, and visitors. Proposers must analyze GPS mobility data and ECAT operational data to optimize planning, identifying precise travel patterns (where, when, and how) across all modes. These insights will drive system-wide improvements, reveal market opportunities, and guide strategic investments.

Escambia County Area Transit is to maintain current fixed route services, microtransit, and ADA paratransit services currently being provided to mass transit riders. Purchasing of planning items and/or contracts are intended to enhance and ensure ECAT is maintaining efficient, reliable, affordable, and effective service. Intended Beneficiaries include community members relying on the availability and reliability of mass transit routes and schedule to commute to and from work, medical appointments, and other activities and events.

A. Bidder's Staff assigned to the ECAT System Service Redesign project will be supervised by and report to ECAT’s Mass Transit Director.

B. Bidder shall provide professional, technical, and administrative assistance to the members of the Mass Transit Department in preparation for and during its studies, which shall include, but not be limited to the following:

• Existing Conditions Analysis/Study - Comprehensively review current network, including route, ridership, performance, and equity considerations.
• Project Planning - Develop project management plan for the Mass Transit Fixed-Route Service Redesign.
• Network Alignment - Align Escambia County's Mass Transit fixed-route services with ECAT's MicroTransit Pilot Program, FlexTransit to create a seamless, complementary network that maximizes coverage and efficiency throughout Escambia County.
• Route Optimization - Eliminate inefficient neighborhood loops, focusing the fixed-route service on Escambia County's main corridors while optimizing bus stop spacing to improve speed and reliability.
• Performance Improvement - Analyze and optimize route running times for improved scheduling and on-time-performance (OTP) throughout the fixed-route system.
• Community Engagement - Engage Stakeholders and the public for input on service priorities, ensuring the redesign meets the needs our Escambia County Residents/Riders.
• Fixed-Route Service Design - Develop multiple redesign scenarios using data-driven analysis to optimize Escambia County's Mass Transit's fixed-route services.
• The final service design should include clear and detailed maps, schedules, and policies ready for project implementation.

C. Bidder's shall complete and deliver the project within a 12-week period.

D. Bidders must demonstrate proven success in:

1. Service planning the reduces both scheduled and unscheduled overtime
2. Operational excellence through improved metrics (including pay-to-platform)
3. Change implementation including collaborative development of schedules, runcuts, and rosters with operators and supervisors
4. Dual Optimization of passenger experience and operational efficiency
5. Bidder shall have completed two (2) bus stop improvement projects or similar within the past seven (7) years. The bidder shall also provide a minimum of two (2) references from the last seven (7) years for completed bus stop improvement projects or similar projects.