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

  • February 6, 2019
    MaaS Market London tackles transport firms’ big question
    Will Mobility as a Service (MaaS) destroy public transport as we know it? That’s the question representatives from the taxi, bus, rail and multi-modal sectors will consider in ‘The role of vertical transport providers’, the opening session of the 2019 MaaS Market Conference (London, 20-21 March). Amid growing evidence of traditional transport operators losing out to the new mobility providers, particularly in urban areas, the panel session will debate the potential and actual benefits and pitfalls of par
  • March 13, 2018
    UK govt seeks cycle safety evidence as report calls for new laws
    A report from legal expert Laura Thomas has claimed that there is a strong case for changing the law to combat dangerous cycling, which if implemented, would bring offences in line with dangerous driving. It ties in with the Department for Transport's Call for Evidence, which is seeking to address issues that cyclists and pedestrians face, or perceive when using the road infrastructure. Thomas said: “Overall, in my opinion, the present law on cycling is not sufficient. I suggest that an offence comprising
  • December 19, 2018
    Conduent to deploy fare collection system across Flanders
    Conduent Transportation is to install a fare collection system in the Flanders region of Belgium which will enable contactless bank card payments and account-based ticketing. Conduent will also operate the system for ten years on behalf of Flemish transport company De Lijn. Commuters will be able to use bank cards based on cEMV (contactless Europay, MasterCard and Visa) or use a contactless public operator payment card by the end of 2019. An aggregated payment method which accumulates transactions over t
  • April 1, 2019
    ChargePoint to provide EV chargers at Morrisons stores
    ChargePoint Services is to install its GeniePoint Network electric vehicle (EV) chargers across all Morrisons supermarkets in the UK. ChargePoint says its 50-100kW rapid chargers will allow customers to refuel their EV in around 20 minutes. The firm’s managing director Alex Bamberg says: “By offering another useful local service, customers are provided with choice for grocery, café and comfort stops, and green vehicle refuelling.” The first chargers will be running by the end of this month and 100 are e