The Buc
The Buc was a relaunch of Buckhead's microtransit shuttle, focused on First-Mile & Last-Mile connections for Buckhead residents looking to reach Downtown Atlanta or travel within the neighborhood.
Client Context
Located north of Downtown Atlanta, the community of Buckhead plays a significant role in the city's residential and commercial fabric. Many residents commute South towards Atlanta, often using the MARTA network via the Buckhead & Lenox stations to go further into the city.
With residents relying heavily on cars to get to & from MARTA stations, as well as travel within Buckhead, the organization Livable Buckhead & the Buckhead Community Improvement District (CID) moved to supplement transit options within Buckhead with a microtransit service that would meet a wide range of mobility needs.
Project Overview
I was tasked with handling the transition of the old Buckhead service from Via's legacy Tech Stack onto Via's new standard infrastructure. This consisted of supporting the development of an updated consumer mobile app and migration of components used in the live service (Drivers, Vehicles, etc.) Furthermore, existing user data was also moved to ensure that the rider transition to the new app was as seamless as possible.
In addition, the vehicle fleet was revamped, with Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles maintained to ensure transit access for riders with disabilities.
Unique Factors / Challenges
Unique factors of this project were the following:
Operational testing
Data synchronization
Payment integration
Migration planning.
Operational testing was a unique challenge because the project centered on technical upgrades to a live operating service. This factor meant that testing processes and timing had to be altered to ensure the operational service wasn't impacted.
Data synchronization was notable because the program was never shut down during the transition to avoid disrupting riders' commute routines. Therefore, data was being written and stored within the old infrastructure right up until the service migration actually occurred. To enable this, rider data was transferred multiple times to ensure all previous data was present in the new database.
Payment integration efforts were significant because the technical update included updating available payment options and payment processing flows. This included adding newer payment methods such as Apple Pay. Moreover, it was critical that existing rider credits purchased by users were transferred and usable within the new app.
Finally, coordination of the migration was notable, as it required extensive In-Person and remote-office resources to be aligned within a short time window on the morning of the migration. Systems were successfully implemented and workflows executed overnight within a couple of hours, ensuring that the old technical systems remained operational through the end of the previous service day and that the new ones were ready to go by the next morning. Support and engineering teams globally were involved in this effort.
Achievements & Outcome
A white-label mobile application titled "the Buc"
A needed update to the existing microtransit service offering Buckhead residents an additional option for traveling within the city and accessing the MARTA network connecting to Downtown Atlanta and beyond.
Service of over 200 rides per day
