Amtran is working on a “transit development plan” that could usher in major changes to the way the bus authority provides its services.

An aspect of the plan, which will succeed one completed 10 years ago, involves stakeholder meetings to discuss where transit service is needed in Blair County and “what kind of service that should look like,” said Amtran General Manager Eric Wolf after a recent meeting.

Traditionally, it’s always been large buses on fixed routes appearing at designated stops at regular intervals, but there are alternative ways of helping people get around under the heading of “demand response service,” Wolf said.

Such service, comparable to that provided by taxis, Uber, Lyft and Blair Senior Services, could eventually become part of Amtran’s suite of offerings.

“We need to be open to (new) ideas,” Wolf said.

Demand response is “any non-fixed route system of transporting individuals that requires advanced scheduling, including services provided by public entities, nonprofits and private providers,” states the Federal Transit Administration website.

Such an offering could help Amtran expand the scope of its services geographically and demographically, helping customers farther from Amtran’s home base in Altoona and encouraging ridership from younger people opting not to have driver’s licenses or vehicles, according to Wolf.

“It’s a way to fit into the future,” he said.

The FTA said there are several forms of demand response models, including:

≥ Dispatching a vehicle upon request to take a customer to a destination, perhaps adding customers en route.

≥ Transporting a senior group or a group of people with disabilities from their homes, so they can all go to a shopping or recreation center together.

≥ Transporting a group of seniors from a nursing home to a recreation center.

Stakeholders participating in recent discussions include elected officials and officials from Penn State Altoona and Blair Senior Services, Wolf said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.