Skip to main content

Via offers on-demand shared transit for Massachusetts seniors

Via has launched an on-demand shared transit system for people over the age of 60 in the City of Newton, Massachusetts. Via says the service replaces a taxi voucher system which required passengers to make reservations at least 72 hours in advance. The company will also offer trips to a range of medical facilities outside the city’s boundaries. Using the Via app, riders can hail a vehicle from their smartphone. The company’s algorithms allow riders to share the vehicle and directs users to a nearby pick-
June 27, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Via has launched an on-demand shared transit system for people over the age of 60 in the City of Newton, Massachusetts.

Via says the service replaces a taxi voucher system which required passengers to make reservations at least 72 hours in advance. The company will also offer trips to a range of medical facilities outside the city’s boundaries.

Using the Via app, riders can hail a vehicle from their smartphone. The company’s algorithms allow riders to share the vehicle and directs users to a nearby pick-up and drop-off location.

Passengers can book rides Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm - and weekends from 9am to noon - with costs ranging from $0.50 to $5.00. In partnership with 6454 Avis, the fleet will comprise a range of 1685 Mercedes Metris vans which come with six seats as well as wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

Via is not the only company offering trips to medical appointments in the US. Earlier this month, 8336 Uber entered into an %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external agreement false https://www.itsinternational.com/categories/utc/news/pack-health-and-uber-offer-free-transport-for-patients-in-alabama/ false false%>with Pack Health to offer a transportation service for patients with chronic conditions in Alabama.

UTC

Related Content

  • November 1, 2018
    Bologna rewards ‘green’ travel with free beer
    Travellers in the Italian city of Bologna are being incentivised to give up their cars with the offer of beer, ice cream or cinema tickets. An anti-pollution initiative rewards people who cycle, walk or take public transport. A hundred local businesses have signed up to the programme – called Bella Mossa (or ‘Good Job’) - to give away discount vouchers, the BBC reports. Funded by the European Union and Bologna’s local government, Bella Mossa runs for six months of the year. Users download an app, log thei
  • January 21, 2019
    Transdev enters partnership to develop shared mobility solution
    Transdev is to launch an electric and automated shuttle service by 2020 in France and Germany. The company is to integrate its autonomous shuttle transport and supervision system with a shuttle provided by the e.Go Moove joint venture – a partnership comprising e.Go, a manufacturer of electric vehicles, and chassis technology firm ZF. ZF will provide the shuttle’s electric drive systems, steering systems and brakes as well as its ProAI central computer – a system which acts as a central control unit with
  • July 30, 2019
    Toronto maps out new rules for vehicle-for-hire industry
    Toronto City Council has amended its vehicles-for-hire rules to improve safety and accessibility of taxis and private transportation companies including Uber and Lyft. Toronto mayor John Tory, says:” These new and updated requirements are a necessary step in protecting the residents and visitors of this city. Regardless of where they are going or how far the distance, we want to make sure passengers are able to access the service and get to their destination safely." The new rules will make it mandatory
  • September 10, 2019
    Managed charging to solve EV demand issue, says TRL
    Managed charging (MC) can shift electric vehicle (EV) charging demand in the UK away from peak times, according to a study led by TRL. MC aims to shift plug-in vehicle (PiV) charging load to times - such as overnight - when other demands are low. TRL found that, after experiencing some form of MC, the vast majority of people would be happy to switch to it. This research, part of TRL’s Vehicles and Energy Integration (CVEI) project, set out to investigate the challenges and opportunities involved in