When a transit agency juggles more than 4,000 daily trips for riders with disabilities across 435 square miles, keeping everything on separate systems is a recipe for inefficiency. That is the challenge Orange County just tackled head-on.
On October 24, 2026, the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) completed a major upgrade: it shifted OC ACCESS, its complementary ADA paratransit service, from a legacy system onto Spare’s paratransit software. Now, eligibility checks, reservations, scheduling, dispatch and same-day taxi service all operate from a single platform. The move was not just about technology; it was about making a daily lifeline work better for thousands of residents.
As Orange County’s population continues to age and the demand for accessible transportation rises, OCTA set out to modernize OC ACCESS, which serves residents who cannot use fixed-route buses or trains because of a disability. The transition was a significant undertaking. In a single weekend, more than 100 drivers, dispatchers, and reservation agents left behind a system many had relied on for two decades, all while supporting an operation with roughly 400 contractor vehicles on the road each day.
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A successful launch, built one phase at a time
The October 24 go-live was a success, with OC ACCESS running at or above its historical on-time performance for pickups and dropoffs within just days. The milestone capped a phased migration that OCTA and Spare planned together over the past year. OCTA first moved eligibility in December 2025, then launched OC ACCESS Same-Day Service in August 2026.
When Same-Day went live in August, it carried 150 trips on its first day—about 40% above average demand. The taxi provider met its 120-minute driver-match requirement 100% of the time, a clear sign the new system could handle pressure.
OC ACCESS, OCTA’s most complex service, moved last. OCTA, its contracted operator, its subcontractor providers and Spare staffed the launch together from the yard before the first 5:15 a.m. pullout to dispatch and the day programs where hundreds of riders arrive each morning.
Real-time oversight of contracted service
OCTA tracks 21 service metrics for OC ACCESS and reports to its board every other month. Previously, its dedicated fleet and subcontractor trips ran on two separate systems. They now run on one platform, giving OCTA a single view of cost and performance and a vehicle-level view of contracted service as it happens—a level of transparency that was simply not possible before.
What’s next
This winter, OCTA plans to launch a rider app built on Spare so riders can book, manage and track their own trips. In early 2027, OCTA intends to add Spare’s AI Voice to handle reservation calls and routine inquiries such as trip status checks and cancellations, giving riders more autonomy over their journeys. OCTA and Spare will report progress against shared goals for more reliable service, a better rider experience and a connected network.
“Paratransit riders often have the fewest transportation options and the least room for things to go wrong,” said Kristoffer Vik Hansen, CEO and Co-founder, Spare. “Together with OCTA, we’re setting out to show what a modern paratransit service can achieve: more reliable trips, more independence for riders, and an agency with full visibility into the service it delivers.”
About Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA)
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is the county transportation planning commission, responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for a balanced and sustainable transportation system that reflects the diverse travel needs of the county’s 34 cities and 3.2 million residents. With the mission of keeping Orange County moving, this includes freeways and express lanes, bus and rail transit, rideshare, commuter rail and active transportation. Learn more at www.octa.net.
About Spare
Spare is the AI-native transit operations platform that helps government agencies deliver more reliable, efficient and community-focused mobility. Built on a highly configurable platform, Spare brings together paratransit, microtransit, fixed route, and asset management so agencies can run essential services with greater accuracy, visibility and confidence. Trusted by hundreds of transit agencies and municipalities, Spare combines deep transit expertise with responsive innovation: real-time decision support, purpose-built AI and the ability to adapt systems on the fly. Spare works with major transit agencies, including OCTA, LA Metro, DART, PSTA, MBTA and AC Transit/BART. Learn more at www.spare.com.
Maria Osipova
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Why it matters: This consolidation means that for the first time, OCTA can see the full picture of its paratransit operations in real time, from cost to performance. For riders, the upcoming app and AI voice features promise more control and independence—a critical upgrade for a population that already has the fewest transportation options.
