Via has partnered with the city of Birmingham, Ala., and the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham for a six-month dynamic, on-demand shared ride service that will complement, extend and fill in gaps existing in the public transit infrastructure in select areas of the city needing it most.
“We're delighted to partner with the city of Birmingham to provide an affordable, convenient and reliable transportation option for residents,” said Daniel Ramot, co-founder and CEO of Via. “Via’s powerful passenger matching and vehicle routing algorithm is the solution to improving access in transportation deserts, seamlessly integrating into the existing public transit infrastructure to connect residents to work, education, healthcare and opportunities in their communities.”
"We have been looking for additional layers of service to support the transportation needs of our residents. Through this partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, we are confident Via’s innovative transportation system will offer an additional option for on-demand transportation to our residents with an emphasis on connecting them with the services they need on a daily basis," said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. "We are proud to add another tool to our toolbox as well as joining more than 80 cities and partners who have worked with Via to provide innovation to public transportation."
Via’s algorithm enables multiple riders to seamlessly share a single vehicle. The technology directs passengers to a nearby corner – a virtual bus stop – for pick up and drop off, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours, or inconvenient fixed routes and schedules.
The service zone was specifically designed to provide affordable and efficient transportation for high-need and underserved communities. Services will operate Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Riders can request a wheelchair accessible vehicle should they indicate it is needed.
"I’m particularly happy this will serve the western communities," said Dora Sims, president of the Five Points West Community. "We have a number of seniors who can really benefit from it. It enhances our mobility to get to jobs and important visits like doctor’s appointments. This is a big plus."
Via has been tapped by cities and transportation players around the world to help re-engineer public transit from a regulated system of routes and schedules to a fully dynamic, on-demand network. Via now has more than 80 launched and pending deployments in nearly 20 countries, providing more than 60 million rides to date, according to the company.
