Mobile’s new Second Line Transit system plans to expand coverage to 50K more residents this month

The city of Mobile is preparing to launch Second Line Transit, a revamped public transportation system operated in partnership with transit technology company Via. The service will replace the previous WAVE transit system, utilizing a mix of updated fixed routes, microtransit, buses and trolleys.

According to updates shared by Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis, the overhaul will expand the city’s transit footprint.

The new system is projected to extend access to approximately 50,000 additional residents. Under the new framework, the city says more than 75% of Mobilians will either live within a quarter-mile of a fixed bus stop or have access to corner-to-corner microtransit service — an increase from the 50% of residents previously covered by the quarter-mile radius.

Microtransit is an affordable, shared public ride-service that is popping up in communities like Mobile recently, most notably for Alabamians in the Birmingham metro area.

Key features of the new Second Line Transit system

• Expanded fleet: The service will utilize updated buses and trolleys for its fixed routes. The city has already received its first trolley, which will deploy once it receives its final vehicle wrap.
• Microtransit integration: To supplement fixed routes, Second Line Transit will offer on-demand microtransit. The service operates similarly to ride-hailing applications but includes a dedicated phone hotline for residents without smartphones.
• Full accessibility: All transit options, including the microtransit fleet, are designed to accommodate passengers with disabilities.
• Route preservation: The new system will continue to service all previous WAVE bus stops through either fixed-route lines or the expanded microtransit zones.

The transition aims to improve workforce mobility and access to secondary education institutions across the city.

A formal debut date for the Second Line Transit fleet has not yet been announced.