Starting Wednesday, March 22, Grant and Natchitoches parish residents can request a ride from the Rapides Area Planning Commission’s Rural Public Transit Pilot program. The program provides curb-to-curb transportation service throughout Grant and Natchitoches Parishes as part of a two-year pilot program operated by the Rapides Area Planning Commission. RAPC will begin accepting trip reservations beginning March 13.

This flexible service provides rides locally and to nearby destinations, but requires a ride reservation be made 24-hours in advance. People request a ride by calling 318-487-5401, extension 21 or by visiting http://www.rapc.info/transit-pilot. Once ordered, an RAPC Pilot vehicle will pick them up and take them to their destination within the Grant and Natchitoches service area.

For limited time, the new service will operate for a flat $2.00 dollar fare per ride as part of an effort to encourage new riders to try the service. After that, the fare will cost $2.00 per trip for the first five miles, then $0.50 each additional mile, with fares half-off for seniors, people with disabilities and children, 12 and under.

The pilot program will run through the next two years and funded by three grants from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development at a total cost of 1.5 million.

The pilot program is the first phase of a multi-phased planned program to develop a centrally coordinated public transportation system to fulfill unmet rural public transportation demand throughout the Central Louisiana region. A full copy of the Central Louisiana Rural Public Transportation Study can be found online at http://www.rapc.info/transportation.