You’ve heard of Uber, Lyft and even taxis, but what about the Dublin Connector? The Dublin Connector is a free, safe transportation system designed specifically for individuals ages 55 and up, people with disabilities and any person working in Dublin.
The Dublin Connector recently announced and launched a new web-based app that will help riders choose the best type of transportation available based on where they would like to go. The city is making this possible by partnering with a software company called SHARE Mobility, whose mission is to partner with cities and organizations to improve mobility and sustainability.
“The primary audience for our new rider app is that children of seniors and caregivers for individuals with disabilities," says CEO of SHARE Mobility Ryan McManus. "We see them as being able to introduce the new app to their loved ones, and they could do the booking for them, or they could teach them how to do it.”
One of the main features on this web-based rider app is called “Destination Profiles” which are linked to different businesses throughout Dublin so that a rider can choose the best mode of transportation to get to that business. Destination Profiles will tell the passenger what the commute times are, where they should go to get dropped off and picked up and ADA accessibility information. There are already more than 100 businesses with Destination Profiles in Dublin.
City of Dublin and Mobility Planner J.M. Rayburn says that Dublin first held a public workshop back in 2017 to gauge public interest about mobility needs in the community.
“We gathered a lot of public input from that event and then taking that input we were able to craft a vision and key objectives for what a mobility plan or study would be would look like in Dublin,” Rayburn says.
Rayburn says that Dublin has worked closely with SHARE Mobility to make sure that the Dublin Connector runs smoothly, which includes having Dublin staff members take test rides and even make test ride requests.
“I feel pretty confident that SHARE has done a great job in responding to our feedback and providing a really good platform for people to easily use our agency rideshare, use micro-transit or use other modes of transportation to get to Dublin,” Rayburn says.
Although the Dublin Connector put a halt to senior services for six months last year due to the coronavirus, all services are back and fully functioning so that everyone is able to go where they need to in a safe way. As for the future, Rayburn says that the city hopes to expand upon this idea of micro-transportation and hopefully serve a wider range of Dublin residents.
“When we think about this service, we do want to expand it,” Rayburn says. “I think it might be worth noting that we're looking to expand the service to include non-emergency medical appointments, as well as community events like the Irish festival or the Columbus Zoo lights, which could be great for little outings.”
As for now, the Dublin Connector is available Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for seniors and those with disabilities. For those who work in Dublin, last mile rides are available seven days a week when COTA is operating from COTA stops to places of employment.
According to Rayburn, this last mile ride feature can benefit Dublin employees because it can help people save money by not having to pay for an additional mode of transportation to get to their place of work.
Even though the new app will be available through the Dublin Connector website, DublinOhioUSA.gov/SHARE, it is still easy to get a ride by calling (833) 742-7333 or emailing dublin@ridewithshare.com. In order to guarantee a ride, it must be scheduled at least 12 hours in advance and the rider must have an account with SHARE Mobility to request a ride. The rides are wheel-chair accessible and sanitized.
A key aspect of the Dublin Connector is bringing benefits to certain members of the community.
“It's about the outcomes of freedom, and continuing to give seniors, as they age, the freedom that they enjoyed as a driver, and to make the community of Dublin more livable for those who are always passengers,” McManus says.
Helen Widman is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
