RideCo and San Antonio VIA Metropolitan Transit Partnership on Microtransit Achieves Industry Leading Cost-per-Trip and Service Quality
San Antonio, TX, November 14th, 2023— RideCo, the most adopted cloud-based on-demand transit solution among the 10 largest cities in the United States, recently celebrated an expansion to a fourth microtransit zone in San Antonio, as it continues to work alongside San Antonio’s VIA Metropolitan Transit and its subcontractor zTrip to expand VIA Link service, opening new zones and offering more convenient and flexible transit to a greater number of residents.
VIA Link focuses on creating innovative and efficient mobility options in low-density areas where operating a fixed route is not a cost-effective option. Instead, this on-demand transit service provides a first-and-last-mile solution to connect people with fixed-route transit hubs. In a recent VIA Metropolitan Transit Board Joint Working Session, it was noted that ”VIA Link operations are approximately 75% less expensive than the equivalent 20-minute fixed-route service operating seven days a week.” The strong performance metrics of the service include average on-time performance above 95%, average wait times of about 15 minutes, and an average 4.7 out of 5-star rating—all while achieving a best-in-class cost per trip ranging from $10 to $14, depending on the zone.
“Our entire team is focused on being a leader in providing the San Antonio community with an innovative mobility solution that enables better connectivity to our greater transit network,” said David Vidal, VIA’s Manager of Contract Services. “With VIA Link, we continue to deliver cost-effective service to a growing percentage of the community, and that is a credit to our team along with our trusted partners, RideCo and zTrip.”
Central to its mission, VIA’s goal is to provide more options for the community and access to opportunities that enhance residents’ quality of life. The new Randolph zone covers an 18-square-mile area, including Brooke Army Medical Center and Randolph Transit Center, and provides convenient and affordable transit to many employment hubs including Amazon, H-E-B, and others.
“We welcome the opportunity to continue expanding service across San Antonio,” said Bill George, CEO of zTrip. “Our commitment is to be the best fleet partner in the business, ensuring VIA Link riders get to their destination safely, on time and in a convenient manner.”
“The long-standing and proactive partnership we have with VIA Metropolitan Transit and zTrip makes it possible to meet and exceed key performance indicators, including a 95% on-time performance and best-in-class cost per trip of less than fourteen dollars,” noted Prem Gururajan, Co-Founder and CEO of RideCo. “By demonstrating this strong performance, VIA Metropolitan Transit is an agency others will want to emulate when deploying transit for the future.”
San Antonio VIA Metropolitan Transit will be featured in a live webinar today Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 1 p.m., EST, where David Vidal and Raquel Reyes will be the featured speakers, along with Bill George and Lauren Smith from zTrip and Mayank Aggarwal from RideCo. Watch the full webinar here.
About VIA Metropolitan Transit
VIA provides safe, reliable transportation options that put opportunity within reach for millions of passengers each year. VIA began operation in 1978 and today serves 14 member cities and the unincorporated areas of Bexar County, operating seven days a week on 77 routes, with complementing VIA trans paratransit service and VIA Link on-demand options. VIA’s family of services help connect our community, support economic vitality, and enhance quality of life throughout the region. In 2020,voters approved funding for VIA’s Keep SA Moving plan, in support of projects designed for a modern mass transit system in San Antonio and Bexar County. Visit VIAinfo.net for more information. Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and the X platform, formerly known as Twitter.
About zTrip
zTrip is the largest taxicab company in North America, operating in 30 cities across 17 states. With a fleet of 3,400+vehicles, 540+ employees, and 3,400+ contracted drivers, zTrip completes 22+million trips annually, bringing in a total annual net revenue of $104+million. As such, zTrip has financial strength and stability that is unmatched in the industry.
About RideCo
RideCo is the leader in rider-centric on-demand transit technology, with the most adopted cloud-based paratransit and microtransit solution among the 10 largest cities in the United States. Trusted by agencies, as well as fleet operators and technology companies, the platform powers the largest on-demand transit services in North America including Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Houston and San Antonio have also adopted RideCo’s transformative software, rooted in proprietary continuous optimization technology, and supported by the industry’s best customer service, including a 95% plus retention rate.
From reducing overall travel time and encouraging sustainable public transit usage to improving operational efficiency and delivering the lowest total cost of ownership, RideCo’s on-demand transit technology is advancing transit for riders and reshaping how transit agencies operate their services. To date, RideCo has been awarded U.S. patent numbers 10,248,913; 10,853,743; and 11,429,910. Visit www.rideco.com to learn more about revolutionizing mobility in your city.
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John McLeod RideCo
