Alma Transit director outlines building expansion plan and new ride-booking software

Brett Obelas, Alma Transit director, updated the City Commission on Jan. 21 about a proposed expansion to the transit facility and a new trip-booking and dispatch system the agency recently deployed.

Obelas described an addition on the north side of the current transit building that would create an in-house maintenance bay (to reduce reliance on the DPW lift), a training room for staff, additional parking and a mezzanine storage area. "Putting it there will allow us to expand both to the east and to the west, if there's future possibilities for expansion," Obelas said. He said the training room would relieve crowding in the current common area and the mezzanine would provide nonpublic storage such as tires.

Commissioners asked practical questions about access and flexibility. One commissioner asked whether the training room corridor could have exterior access to allow public meetings without routing people through the facility's offices; Obelas said the building includes a keyed door and the city could permit access while maintaining security. On whether the mezzanine could be expanded to cover an adjacent hallway, Obelas said the pre-engineered building's structural rods limit some modifications and that engineers and architects are reviewing options.

Obelas also demonstrated Alma Transit's new VIA software. He reported the new system has, since deployment, logged more than 13,000 ride requests and about 8,700 completed rides; the system currently shows roughly 1,200 active riders and about 800 riders who have downloaded the Alma Transit app. Obelas said many bookings are subsequently canceled and that a substantial share of cancellations occur within three hours of scheduled pickup; the software's dynamic dispatch "continually updates itself," he said, automatically rerouting drivers and reassigning rides when cancellations occur.

"It's all color coded. It's very nice," Obelas told commissioners while showing a live map of active vehicles, completed rides and the agency's ride plans. He also highlighted features parents have found useful: real-time location for buses and notifications when a bus is approaching or has arrived.

Obelas said an in-house maintenance bay would allow the transit staff to perform timely repairs without borrowing equipment from other city departments, and that a training room and additional parking would ease operational constraints during peak periods. He encouraged the public to download the Alma Transit app from the Apple App Store or Google Play, saying the system works similarly to commercial ride-hailing apps while also allowing cash payments.

Commissioners and staff praised the transparency of the new software and suggested design adjustments for the building plan, including adding an exterior door for the training area and more natural light. Obelas said staff will continue design work with architects and return with refined plans.