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63-1262: The agency operates 59 fixed-route bus routes and 7 demand-responsive routes, together serving 37 out of 39 Rhode Island municipalities. Paratransit service is branded RIde with a service area corresponding to that of non-express bus routes. RIPTA operates a fleet of 229 buses, 13 cutaway vans for Flex services, and 72 paratransit vans. They are maintained at two garages in Providence and one in Newport. Fares for fixed-route and Flex trips are $ 2, with day and monthly passes available. Reduced fares are available for people over 65 and with disabilities. Fares can be paid with cash or with Wave smart card or mobile app, or RIde fares are $ 4. RIPTA operates 59 year-round bus routes: 50 local routes, one rapid route, and eight limited-service express routes. Most of RIPTA's fixed-route bus lines are centered on three major hubs: Kennedy Plaza in Providence , Pawtucket/Central Falls station in Pawtucket , and Gateway Center in Newport . The R-Line

126-466: A mobile phone app or by telephone; telephone is particularly relevant to older users who may not be conversant with technology. One of the most widespread types of demand-responsive transport (DRT) is to provide a public transport service in areas of low passenger demand where a regular bus service is not considered to be financially viable, such as rural and peri-urban areas. Services may also be provided for particular types of passengers. One example

189-511: A collaboration between the PTAs in a joint venture, FlexDanmark , thus providing nationwide DRT-services (excluding some islands). There are three major operational areas: There is paratransit service ( palvelulinja, palveluliikenne ) in many cities and municipalities in Finland. It is mainly aimed at those who find it difficult to use other public transport, but often anyone who wants to can order

252-624: A day in advance, eliminated shared trips, reduced in-transit time, and reduced the pickup wait time from 30 minutes to as low as 5 minutes in the urban core. With the subsidy cap initially set at $ 13, the MBTA reduced the average cost of a paratransit trip from $ 35 to $ 9. Pilot participants on average substantially increased the number of trips they took, but still at a lower overall cost to the agency. Availability of wheelchair-accessible vehicles remained an occasional problem, but these were only needed by about 20% of paratransit riders. Before passage of

315-476: A day. Uses 60 vehicles and 10–20 more for school transport for children with special needs. A network of over 1,000 demand responsive transport routes are provided across rural Ireland under the TFI Local Link brand. Many of these routes are once a week services which operate a door-to-door pickup from a rural area into a nearby large town, where people can access shopping and other services, followed by

378-500: A flexible system of small vehicles a less expensive alternative for accessibility than options with larger, fixed-route vehicles. This however ended up not being the case. Often paratransit services were being filled up to their capacity. In some cases, leaving individuals who were in need of the door to door service provided by paratransit unable to utilize it due to the fact that disabled people who could use fixed-route vehicles also found themselves using these paratransit services. With

441-423: A journey in advance. They may do this by booking with a central dispatcher who determines the journey options available given the user's location and destination. Increasingly, the booking is via an app, which provides the interface to software that creates a schedule in real time; adjusting the schedule to accept (or reject) bookings as they come in. This provides an instant decision for the potential user, but at

504-526: A peer review of large urban paratransit systems in the US in 2009: In response to increasing ridership and costs of providing paratransit service, WMATA made two significant changes beginning in 2010: the paratransit service area was reduced from jurisdictional boundaries to the ADA requirement of within a 3/4 mile corridor of fixed-route services; and, fares were linked to WMATA 's fixed route services and charged to

567-521: A prototype service, GAD-About, which offered pre-booked door-to-door transport for its members, inspired by similar minibus usage in church and youth clubs. That was then cloned as an easily scalable module, under the aegis of London Transport, to become the Dial-a-Ride service launched as part the general services of Transport for London (TfL), rather than as a bus service. Examples of UK schemes include: The large majority of 1,500 rural systems in

630-468: A published schedule. Regulations concerning bus service registration and application of bus-operating grants for England and Wales were amended in 2004 to allow registration of fully flexible pre-booked DRT services. Some services, such as LinkUp, only pick up passengers at 'meeting points', but can set down at the passenger's destination. The Greenwich Association of the Disabled had earlier developed

693-486: A return service a few hours later with a door-to-door drop off back to the same rural area. Other routes include daily return services to/from colleges or employment centres, weekend evening services to/from a night-time activity centre, weekly services to attend Mass, feeder services to connect with scheduled bus and train services, and services on off-shore islands to connect with ferry departures and arrivals. Services are managed by 15 regional TFI Local Link offices across

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756-976: A subsector and business in its own right. The term paratransit is rarely used outside of North America. Projects in the broader sense were documented by the Urban Institute in the 1974 book Para-transit: Neglected options for urban mobility , followed a year later by the first international overview, Paratransit: Survey of International Experience and Prospects . Robert Cervero 's 1997 book, Paratransit in America: Redefining Mass Transportation , embraced this wider definition of paratransit, arguing that America's mass transit sector should enlarge to include micro-vehicles, minibuses, and shared-taxi services found in many developing cities. Paratransit, as an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules, are common and often offer

819-574: A system of privately run bus and trolley systems. RIPTA began operating buses on July 1, 1966, inheriting services provided previously by the United Transit Company (formerly the Rhode Island Company . Woonsocket local service was expanded in 2011 to allow residents, many of whom do not own cars, to reach shopping areas outside town. R-Line service began on June 21, 2014. The 1 Eddy/Hope/Benefit and 35 Rumford lines were

882-999: A third line running to Massachusetts, the 24x, an express line which includes stops in Fall River and Somerset that connect to Southeastern Regional Transit Authority lines. In November 2019, RIPTA received $ 8 million in federal funding to add additional hubs at the Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick and the University of Rhode Island in Kingston. [REDACTED] Media related to Rhode Island Public Transit Authority at Wikimedia Commons Paratransit Paratransit (the term used in North America ) or intermediate public transport (also known by other names such as community transport ( UK )),

945-511: A trip, the most efficient route will then be calculated depending on the origins and destinations of passengers. Share taxis are another form of DRT. They are usually operated on an ad hoc basis but also do not have fixed routes or times and change their route and frequency depending on demand. Some DRT systems operate as a service that can deviate from a fixed route. These operate along a fixed alignment or path at specific times but may deviate to collect or drop off passengers who have requested

1008-563: A trip. Red minibuses which serve non-franchised routes across the country, depending on routes, allow passengers to reserve their seats by phone such that operators and drivers are able to know where passengers are and how many there are in deploying their vehicles. Public transport authority in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik and the surrounding municipalities. Manages public bus transport and disabled transport, but does not have its own vehicles. About 1,300 enquiries and thousand trips

1071-432: Is a central organization recognized by the government which "promotes excellence through training, publications, advice, events and project support on voluntary, community and accessible transport." In Zagreb , Croatia , the municipal mass transit operator ZET operates a fleet of minibuses equipped with several seats and lift for wheelchairs for on-demand transport of disabled persons. In Hong Kong , Rehabus service

1134-414: Is a form of shared private or quasi-public transport for groups traveling where vehicles alter their routes each journey based on particular transport demand without using a fixed route or timetabled journeys. These vehicles typically pick-up and drop-off passengers in locations according to passengers needs and can include taxis, buses or other vehicles. Passengers can typically summon the service with

1197-810: Is a limited-stop "Rapid Bus" route between Cranston and Pawtucket via Providence. It has some bus rapid transit (BRT) characteristics, including frequent service and transit signal priority , but runs in mixed traffic without dedicated lanes. Nine routes combine to provide five-minute-or-better headways in the Downtown Transit Connector between Providence station and the Hospital District. This corridor has BRT elements including limited stops, bus shelters with real-time information, bus/bike lanes, and signal priority. In addition to fixed-route services, RIPTA also provides Flex Service service, primarily settled around less populated areas in

1260-421: Is a type of transportation service that supplements fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. Paratransit services may vary considerably on the degree of flexibility they provide their customers. At their simplest they may consist of a taxi or small bus that will run along a more or less defined route and then stop to pick up or discharge passengers on request. At

1323-457: Is an unfunded mandate . Under the ADA, complementary paratransit service is required for passengers who are 1) Unable to navigate the public bus system, 2) unable to get to a point from which they could access the public bus system, or 3) have a temporary need for these services because of injury or some type of limited duration cause of disability (49 CFR 37.123). Title 49 Part 37 details the eligibility rules along with requirements governing how

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1386-471: Is an example of DRT used for people with special needs (paratransit). DRT services have operated in some sparsely populated areas (under 100 p/km ) since 1995. PostBus Switzerland Ltd , the national post company, has operated a DRT service called PubliCar , formerly also Casa Car . Some DRT schemes were operating under the UK bus-operating regulations of 1986, allowed by having core start and finish points and

1449-565: Is another field being applied to paratransit operations. Some companies are beginning to integrate cloud computing models to find operational efficiencies and cost savings for smaller paratransit service providers. There is no legislation providing details on paratransit standards, but the Canadian Urban Transit Association has provided voluntary guidelines for member transit agencies to use to determine paratransit needs and standards. Various operators including

1512-517: Is considerably higher than traditional fixed-route bus service, with Maryland's Mobility service reporting per-passenger costs of over $ 40 per trip in 2010. Paratransit ridership growth of more than 10% per year was reported in the District of Columbia metropolitan area for 2006 through 2009. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority 's MetroAccess service in Washington, D.C. conducted

1575-650: Is provided by the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation. The New Zealand Transport Agency provides a comprehensive list of options in the country, including Total Mobility (TM) in Auckland . In Australia, Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport under subsection 31 (1) of the Disability Discrimination Act of 1992 mandated that as of 2002 "all new public transport conveyances, premises and infrastructure must comply with

1638-485: Is public transport, but with smaller vehicles that run on demand. Plustur is flexible transport that can be used in cases where the bus or train does not run all the way. Flexrute is public transport on demand - without a fixed timetable, which drives from stop to stop within a defined geographical area. There are also special needs school transport and paratransit services. The DRT-services in Denmark are maintained as

1701-440: Is the paratransit programs for people with a disability. The provision of public transport in this manner emphasises one of its functions as a social service rather than creating a viable movement network. DRT can be used to refer to many different types of transport. When taxicabs were first introduced to many cities, they were hailed as an innovative form of DRT. They are still referred to as DRT in some jurisdictions around

1764-575: Is typically a flexible, demand-responsive form of public transportation designed to provide point-to-point service. These systems are generally well-structured and organized. On the other hand, in developing countries, IPT often operates as an informal, cost-effective alternative to formal transportation modes. It tends to be unorganized and subject to minimal government regulation, serving as a prevalent form of spontaneous public transport that facilitates quick and convenient travel. The importance of IPT may extends beyond mobility, as it can also contribute to

1827-657: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), paratransit was provided by not-for-profit human service agencies and public transit agencies in response to the requirements in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 prohibited the exclusion of disabled people from "any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance". In Title 49 Part 37 (49 CFR 37) of the Code of Federal Regulations ,

1890-536: The Federal Transit Administration defined requirements for making buses accessible or providing complementary paratransit services within public transit service areas. Most transit agencies did not see fixed route accessibility as desirable and opted for a flexible system of small paratransit vehicles operating parallel to a system of larger, fixed-route buses. The expectation was that the paratransit services would not be heavily used, making

1953-709: The TTC , BC Transit , OC Transpo and TransLink offer the service, and in the province of British Columbia paratransit is referred to as HandyDART throughout by both major transit operators. Paratransit systems in many developing world cities are operated by individuals and small business. The fragmented, intensely competitive nature of the industry makes government regulation and control much harder than traditional public transport. Government authorities have cited problems with unsafe vehicles and drivers as justifying efforts to regulate and "formalize" paratransit operations. However, these efforts have been limited by ignorance on

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2016-716: The covid pandemic from 2020—caused the trials to fail. Lukas Foljanty, a shared-mobility enthusiast and market expert, keeps track of the different DRT schemes around the world and thinks a tipping point may have been reached in 2022. There were at least 450 schemes around the world, and in 2021 fifty-four new projects started within a three-month period. David Carnero of Europe-wide DRT technology company Padam said that successful DRT requires subsidies, must be delivered at scale, and must be part of an integrated, rather than competitive, transport policy. All 5 major Public Transit Authorities in Denmark provide door-to-door DRT services in different variants and degree. Flextur

2079-736: The 1,700 local governments in Japan have introduced DRT public transport services. The first ever demand-responsive transport scheme in Poland – called Tele-Bus – has been operated since 2007 in Kraków by MPK, the local public transport company (see also Tramways in Kraków ). Regional transport authority in Västra Götaland in southwestern Sweden is responsible for all public transport and for transport offers to citizens with special needs. This

2142-660: The 1980s, a second wave of systems were launched from the mid-1990s. There are now DRT schemes in urban and peri-urban areas as well as in rural communities. Operated by both public transport companies and private service providers, the DRT schemes are offered either as intermediate collective transport services for generic users or as schemes for specific user groups. DRT schemes operate in major cities including Rome , Milan , Genoa , Florence , and in several mid- to small-size towns including Alessandria, Aosta, Cremona, Livorno, Mantova, Parma, Empoli , Siena , and Sarzana. More than 200 of

2205-429: The 35% of operating hours when the vehicles were carrying passengers, there was just one passenger (or a couple travelling together) for 74% of the time, and two passengers (or couples travelling together) for a further 20% of the time. The 15-seat minibuses could have been replaced by small taxis without capacity problems for 97% of the operating hours. Since the mid-2010s several DRT projects started up but failed. In

2268-638: The ADA allowable maximum of two times the fastest equivalent bus or rail fare. These changes helped result in the first-ever reduction in the number of year-over-year trips between 2011 and 2012. Annually, the Canadian Urban Transit Association publishes a fact book providing statistics for all of the Ontario specialized public transit services; as of 2015 there were 79 in operation. The complicated nature of providing paratransit service in accordance with ADA guidelines led to

2331-473: The DRT service picks up passengers without pre-booking, due to the licensing issues. Issues may also arise surrounding tax and fuel subsidy for DRT services. Ridership on DRT services is usually quite low (less than ten passengers per hour), but DRT can provide coverage effectively. Analysis of the Yorbus DRT scheme in a rural area of the UK showed very little combination of individual travel needs. Of

2394-469: The US several DRT operators appeared and promptly failed, due to either lack of customers or health and safety issues. 2019 trials in London found that "satisfaction was really high"; users scored the service at 4.8/5 and praised ease of use, safety, cleanliness and accessibility. But low take-up, misunderstandings about who the service was for, and safety concerns about unlit stops—together with problems due to

2457-532: The bus, rail and motor coach trade magazine Metro Magazine began conducting annual surveys of public and private paratransit providers: The US Government Accountability Office GAO released a report in November 2012 for the Federal Transit Administration which "examined: (1) the extent of compliance with ADA paratransit requirements, (2) changes in ADA paratransit demand and costs since 2007, and (3) actions transit agencies are taking to help address changes in

2520-442: The cost of efficiency: each individual travel need is considered individually, potentially resulting in higher levels of idle time (when the schedule has gaps that are too short to allow an additional journey to be added) and "dead mileage" (driving empty between one drop-off and the next pickup) than might be expected from a schedule built by an experienced human operator. DRT systems take advantage of fleet telematics technology in

2583-825: The country on behalf of the National Transport Authority (NTA) , and usually require prebooking by phoning the relevant office in advance. As of June 2023, there are no real-time app-based demand responsive transport services operating in Ireland, but in April 2023 the NTA informed suppliers that they intended "to procure a trial of and, if successful a roll out of, Smart Demand Responsive Transport services (SDRT), using app based products to secure services and routing algorithms to match vehicles with capacity to users". Following some pioneering DRT schemes implemented in

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2646-581: The demand for and costs of ADA paratransit service." The report found that "average number of annual ADA paratransit trips provided by a transit agency increased 7 percent from 2007 to 2010" and that the average cost of providing a paratransit trip is "an estimated three and a half times more expensive than the average cost of $ 8.15 to provide a fixed-route trip." . The Maryland Transit Administration reported paratransit ridership increases of 15% in fiscal 2012, with double-digit increases expected in fiscal 2013 and 2014. The cost of providing paratransit service

2709-533: The development of sophisticated software for the industry. Intelligent transportation systems technologies, primarily GPS , mobile data terminals , digital mobile radios , and cell phones, and scheduling, dispatching, and call reservation software are now in use increasingly in North America and Europe. Interactive voice response systems and web-based initiatives are the next technology innovation anticipated for paratransit services. Advanced analytics

2772-507: The deviation. DRT services are restricted to a defined operating zone, within which journeys must start and finish. Journeys may be completely free form, or following skeleton routes and schedules, varied as required, with users given a specified pick-up point and a time window for collection. Some DRT systems may have defined termini , at one or both ends of a route, such as an urban centre, airport or transport interchange , for onward connections. DRT systems require passengers to request

2835-825: The economic well-being of those who operate these services. In some cases, drivers of vehicles such as tempos and autorickshaws can earn a substantial daily income, which supports their livelihoods. Typically, minibuses are used to provide paratransit service in USA. Most paratransit vehicles are equipped with wheelchair lifts or ramps to facilitate access. In the United States , private transportation companies often provide paratransit service in cities and metropolitan areas under contract to local public transportation agencies. The use of "paratransit" ("para transit", "para-transit") has evolved and taken on two somewhat separate broad sets of meaning and application in North America;

2898-542: The first two RIPTA routes with stops outside of Rhode Island's borders, as both routes end in a northern terminus at the South Attleboro MBTA station in Massachusetts. RIPTA was required to seek federal permission before the extending the routes across state lines to South Attleboro in 2013. Soon, the 32 and 34 were extended over the Massachusetts border to Seekonk Square . In August 2019, RIPTA added

2961-464: The form of vehicle location systems, scheduling and dispatching software and hand-held/in vehicle computing. Vehicles used for DRT services are typically small minibuses sufficient for low ridership, which allow the service to provide as near a door-to-door service as practical by using narrower residential streets. In some cases taxicabs are hired by the DRT provider to serve their routes on request. DRT schemes may be fully or partially funded by

3024-515: The health, environmental, and other detrimental impacts of car traffic typically by 50–70%, and if implemented could attract about half of the car passengers, and within a broad operational range would require no public subsidies". DRT schemes may require new or amended legislation, or special dispensation, to operate, as they do not meet the traditional licensing model of authorised bus transport providers or licensed taxicab operators. The status has caused controversy between bus and taxi operators when

3087-560: The local transit authority , with operators selected by public tendering or other methods. Other schemes may be partially or fully self-funded as community centred not for profit social enterprises (such as a community interest company in the UK). They may also be provided by private companies for commercial reasons; some conventional bus operating companies have set up DRT-style airport bus services, which compete with larger private hire airport shuttle companies. DRT can potentially reduce

3150-506: The most sophisticated management systems available in the world of rubber tire transit (land-based non-rail public transit). Since the passage of the ADA, paratransit service has grown rapidly as a mode of public transit in the United States. Continued growth can be expected due to the aging of baby boomers and disabled Iraq War veterans. The growth of the number of people requiring paratransit has resulted in an increase in cost for

3213-504: The need for passengers to book a week in advance, and reduced the cost to the county from $ 81 to about $ 30. In 2016, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority began a pilot program which has subsidized paratransit passengers on Uber , Lyft , and Curb, up to a cap of $ 42 per ride. This retained the ability to book by phone, lowered the fare for riders, eliminated the need to book the trip

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3276-456: The number of vehicles on the road, and hence pollution and congestion, if many people are persuaded to use it instead of private cars or taxis. For a model of a hypothetical large-scale demand-responsive public transport system for the Helsinki metropolitan area, simulation results published in 2005 demonstrated that "in an urban area with one million inhabitants, trip aggregation could reduce

3339-433: The only mechanized mobility options for the poor in many parts of the developing world. Some paratransit systems have begun subsidizing private taxi or ride-hailing trips as an alternative to the government-run or government-contracted system. For example, in 2010, Solano County, California dissolved Solano Paratransit and allowed paratransit-eligible passengers to buy $ 100 worth of taxi scrip for $ 15. This eliminated

3402-549: The other end of the spectrum—fully demand-responsive transport —the most flexible paratransit systems offer on-demand call-up door-to-door service from any origin to any destination in a service area. In addition to public transit agencies, paratransit services may be operated by community groups or not-for-profit organizations, and for-profit private companies or operators. The concept of intermediate public transport (IPT) or paratransit, exhibits considerable variation between developed and developing nations. In developed countries, it

3465-487: The paratransit industry to maintain these services. The results of this rising cost are the paratransit industry trying to get individuals to move from a reliance on paratransit vehicles to fixed-route vehicles. Due to the push to have paratransit vehicles being the main method of transportation for disabled individuals prior to the passing of the ADA, the paratransit industry is finding it hard to get individuals to switch over to fixed route transportation. Beginning in 2004,

3528-634: The part of regulatory authorities and mistrust between authorities and operators. In sub-Saharan Africa, this form of transport (called "transport artisanal" in French) serves more than 70% of commuters, evolved organically and replaced formal transit after independence. Paratransit can take many forms, from the 16-seater minibus taxis (see share taxi ), to motorbikes ( boda boda ). In the United Kingdom , services are called community transport and provided locally. The Community Transport Association

3591-420: The passage of the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act was extended to include all activities of state and local government. Its provisions were not limited to programs receiving federal funds and applied to all public transit services, regardless of how the services were funded or managed. Title II of the ADA also more clearly defined a disabled person's right to equal participation in transit programs, and

3654-569: The provider's responsibility to make that participation possible. In revisions to Title 49 Part 37, the Federal Transit Administration defined the combined requirements of the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act for transit providers. These requirements included "complementary" paratransit to destinations within 3/4 mile of all fixed routes (49 CFR 37.131) and submission of a plan for complying with complementary paratransit service regulations (49 CFR 37.135). Paratransit service

3717-746: The service must be provided and managed. In the United States, paratransit service is now highly regulated and closely monitored for compliance with standards set by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). As the ADA came into effect in 1992 (49 CFR 37.135), the FTA required transit systems in the United States to plan and begin implementing ADA compliant services, with full implementation by 1997 (49 CFR 37.139). During this period, paratransit demand and services rapidly expanded. This growth led to many new approaches to manage and provide these services. Computerized reservation, scheduling and dispatching for paratransit have also evolved substantially and are now arguably among

3780-533: The state. These demand-responsive routes have fixed schedules for certain stops, but allow passengers to reserve trips within certain geographic areas. RIPTA operates special services to connect with the seasonal Providence–Newport ferry, to provide seasonal access to South County beaches, and to serve Providence Public School District high schools. RIPTA was created in 1964 by the Rhode Island General Assembly to supervise what had been

3843-430: The term is rarely used in the rest of the world. The more general meaning includes any transit service operating alongside conventional fixed-route services, including airport limousines and carpools . Since the early 1980s, particularly in North America, the term began to be used increasingly to describe the second meaning: special transport services for people with disabilities. In this respect, paratransit has become

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3906-713: The transport standards. Facilities already in operation at that time have between five and thirty years to comply with the standards." In some parts of the world, transportation services for the elderly and disabled are obtainable through share taxi options, often without formal government involvement. [REDACTED] The dictionary definition of paratransit at Wiktionary Demand-responsive transport Demand-responsive transport ( DRT ), also known as demand-responsive transit , demand-responsive service , Dial-a-Ride transit (sometimes DART ), flexible transport services , Microtransit , Non-Emergency Medical Transport ( NEMT ), Carpool or On-demand bus service

3969-419: The world as their very nature is to take people from point-to-point based on their needs. More recently, DRT generally refers to a type of public transport. They are distinct from fixed-route services as they do not always operate to a specific timetable or route. While specific operations vary widely, generally a particular area is designated for service by DRT. Once a certain number of people have requested

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