In an effort to entice residents to ride public transportation again, LA has launched a pilot program designed to shuttle residents to and from three of the busiest Metro stations in the city. LA’s local government first announced its team-up with ride-sharing platform Via back in 2017. Now, the pilot is live and has started offering shared, on-demand rides to serve the Artesia, El Monte and North Hollywood stations.
Passengers can summon a Via vehicle through its app, which will match three-to-six riders going in the same direction and book them in the same car. According to TechCrunch, the program was created as a solution for the issues residents face getting to and from stations. Due to that last-mile challenge, more and more people are choosing to ride Uber and similar services to get to their destination instead of public transportation systems, since they’re a lot more convenient and straightforward.
LA County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Sheila Kuehl said in a statement:
“This innovative pilot program will give riders another glimpse into LA’s comprehensive future transportation system. Many Metro users face a challenge getting from home to station and vice versa. They need a quick, easy, and inexpensive door-to-door solution and this new pilot is one to consider.”
The year-long pilot program is free for those registered with Metro’s low-income fare program. It’ll cost TAP card holders $1.75 per ride, while it’ll set everyone else back $3.75.
Source: engadget.com
