Blaise Transit is thrilled to be bringing its leading on-demand transit software to two of Montana's most rural communities: Valley County and Powder River County. This expansion is a significant milestone for Blaise, as these communities represent the first two of many upcoming deployments in the United States.
Montana is America's fifth most rural state by population, and of the top five most rural states in the country Montana is by far the fastest growing and the largest by area. With often hundreds of miles between origins and destinations, Blaise's artificial intelligence software will improve scheduling, routing, and dispatching Powder River and Valley County’s operations and enhance the customer experience for tens of thousands of riders throughout eastern Montana.
Blaise has a proven track record of transforming public transportation services in low density areas, through user-friendly automated dispatching and booking. Our expertise working with small and rural transit agencies brings a wealth of experience to both Valley County and Powder River County as they aim to enhance freedom of mobility for all residents.
Powder River County will be using the Blaise Drive and Blaise Engine software components to bring the power of AI to the scheduling, routing, and dispatching for their call-in demand-response service. With a service area stretching well beyond the County's 3,300 square miles, and with trip distances reaching as high as 150 miles per run, Blaise's patented routing algorithms promise to bring greater flexibility, efficiency, and ease of use to residents of southeastern Montana riding with Powder River County.
Valley County will be using the full suite of Blaise software, including our customer-facing rider app and website which allow passengers to book their own trips. Blaise will help Valley County reduce the burden on its dispatchers who currently plan all rides manually, with the goal of increasing ridership, and continue providing a high level of service to its riders at a lower operating cost.
Blaise's transit planning experts and project managers will be working closely with both counties over the following weeks to develop a transition strategy that meets their needs, while empowering them to self-adjust Blaise’s platform and their evolving transit services : Blaise's customizable universal software approach puts the levers of algorithmic parameters in the hands of transit managers, allowing them to make the most of their service without needing to depend on the work of costly out-of-house software developers to make changes on their behalf.
Blaise is proud to be increasing freedom of mobility in the great state of Montana.
Image credit: McHeath
We know most transit agencies are constantly striving to enhance their rider’s experience. However, amidst the excitement of offering new technology to passengers the crucial aspect of communication often gets overlooked. On-demand transit represents a paradigm shift in traditional transit models, with its tech-driven approach requiring active participation from riders. Yet, many riders may be unfamiliar with this concept, especially if it's the first time it's being introduced in their community. The introduction of new technology adds another layer of complexity, necessitating effective change management.
Earlier this year, Blaise Transit began a new partnership with the Klamath Tribes in Southwestern Oregon. This collaboration marked a significant milestone in providing innovative, on-demand transit solutions to the Chiloquin and Klamath Falls regions, further underscoring the critical need for accessible and efficient transportation in the 574 tribal communities across the United States.
The Government of New Brunswick along with Urban/Rural Rides announced that it will be rolling out on-demand transit software with Blaise, making it easier to book transit trips across the province.
