How Volusia County Is Transforming Accessible Transportation For Residents

Published on December 16, 2025

Using Spare technology, Volusia County, Florida, hopes to redefine public transit for all users, especially those who need paratransit. Public health, work, and everyday activities command routine transportation that paratransit provides. VoAccess paratransit modernizes to meet the needs of users. Now, healthcare users approaching their appointments have more reliable transportation. The area of responsibility for this service is approximately 1,200 square miles.

Enhancing Paratransit with Real-Time Optimization

In Volusia County, the partnership between VoTran, RATP Dev, and Spare has changed the experience users have with paratransit. Riders used to experience travel delays and unpredictability, and often more than one of every four trips provoked late arrivals. Since the use of Spare Platform technology has been implemented for VoAccess, the service no longer experiences about 17% of trips being late, with a subsequent 97% on-time rate. Real-time optimization technology has eliminated the long wait times that have frustrated passengers, and, as a direct result, VoTran can serve the region with integrated, predictable, and on-time transportation.

Now that VoTran’s operations have been upgraded, the organization has the capacity to complete 700 trips daily, ensuring service users with mobility limitations can retain their independence and familiarity with the service. The organization is altering the way disabled consumers gain access to vital services. The result is that these users are now able to participate more fully in the community and are no longer constrained by their lack of access to transportation.

Empowering Users with Digital Solutions

Volusia County has public transportation that is, in many ways, improved on December 1, with the rollout of the Spare Rider App. It is the first public transportation app in which users can make, modify, and view their paratransit rides in real-time to decrease their reliance on customer service for these requests. Users can now able to exercise more independence and control over their mobility.

The app allows users to:

Reserve trips without any call waiting.

Monitor their trips as they go.

Change their trips on the fly from their phones.

Reduce the guesswork on how long they’ll have to wait.

The app has been invaluable to VoTran’s reservation team by eliminating routine calls such as “Where is my ride?” This has enabled the team to redirect their attention to users with more complex needs, such as those needing extra help with the booking process or those needing assistance with mobility devices. The Rider App creates an overall more efficient system for staff and riders.

Invested System with Future Adaptability

The Spare platform is not only enhancing VoTran’s current paratransit service but also laying the groundwork for VoTran’s new vision for Volusia County’s transport system. VoTran’s 2026-2031 Transit Development Plan includes a microtransit expansion that will use the same technology. This will simplify operational costs and challenges while offering a more efficient, scalable solution that will continue to meet the needs of the county as they change. The technology also enhances VoTran’s fleet control, including subcontracted fleets, by simplifying the scheduling and service area for dispatching.

More sophisticated options, such as dynamic service zone management, permit the system to shift coverage areas based on the time of day or other specific needs. These enhancements illustrate VoTran’s commitment to improving service quality and ensuring that every ride is as effective and convenient as possible.

Transforming Community Mobility with Reliable Service

Modernization impacts punctuality, but unlike other tech upgrades, this is about empowerment. Riders who depend on paratransit service can now attend medical appointments, work, and socialize without the prior logistical and emotional hassle. The gained service reliability translates to confidence and independence and impacts wellbeing and quality of life positively.

RATP Dev, as a significant partner in this project, noted that the project’s success was not only about introducing new technology, but about people collaborating with a common goal. Spare, VoTran, and RATP Dev’s collaboration can be a blueprint for several other areas and is bound to improve public mobility services in the USA.

Future Transit Model: Looking Ahead

Volusia County paired up with Spare to show how easily technology can enhance public transit systems for at-risk users. With real-time data analytics, the system improves service delivery to provide dependable transportation for residents when needed.

The benchmark this approach has created for the future of public transit in the U.S. exemplifies how municipalities and tech firms can collaborate to provide services that meet ease-of-access and efficiency-user-need targets. The partnership between VoTran, Spare, and RATP Dev is giving Volusia County paratransit innovation leadership by putting rider dignity and self-empowerment at the forefront.