CA: El Cajon rideshare program bridging transportation gap
A recently launched micro-transit rideshare pilot program is helping to bridge a public transportation gap for residents of El Cajon.
The app-based program, provided by the micro-transit company Via, was approved by the El Cajon City Council in January 2024 and launched in March of this year. Already, the program is showing a steady increase in ridership, with a majority of riders returning for a second booking.
The program is funded by a two-year grant which lasts through its pilot period and has been operating for the last eight months. Since its launch, the program has served 2,021 El Cajon residents who have taken over 100 rides.
At a cost of $2.50 per ride, anyone within the El Cajon service zone can book a shared ride through the Via San Diego app or by calling 619-413-9986.
After booking a ride, the technology matches a rider with other riders heading in the same direction into one electric vehicle by directing them to a “virtual bus stop.”
The initiative is intended to create additional transportation options for riders in El Cajon, and the city has advertised it as an alternative to public transportation, or as a way to easily connect to the transit center.
The program saw exponential month-over-month growth since its launch.
Via Principal Alex Battisti said community-specific marketing efforts helped drive the growth.
The company launched a two-minute Arabic language feature on the USA and Arabic TV in May, when ridership started picking up. El Cajon is home to an estimated 21,680 Arab Americans, according to data by the Arab American Civic Council.
The most popular destinations are a combination of residential, educational and commercial points of interest, Battisti said. For example, the El Cajon Transit Center, Parkway Plaza, Johnson Elementary School and Awaken Church are popular destinations for riders.
In launching the program, Battisti said the company’s goal is to see demand that is widely distributed.
“These ‘spider lines’ show us that demand response, like point-to-point service, is a good fit for the community,” Battisti said. “If we saw really dark lines from one end of the city to another… maybe a fixed route or additional bus routes would be a better option here.”
The program has received a 96% five-star rating from riders, Battisti said.
“I don’t have any transportation and my kids go to school in the city of El Cajon,” one reviewer wrote. “It’s very convenient, it saves money. I’m a single mom and it really helps a lot.”
El Cajon City Councilmember Phil Ortiz said the program could be the city’s solution to the “last mile” problem with public transportation, bridging the gap for riders who need to gain access to San Diego’s freeway system.
“If there was any viable solution for that last mile, it’s not adding more buses,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz compared Via San Diego to other micro-transit programs the city has tried, and noted that most trial transportation initiatives operate for under a year and the data is ultimately used to adjust city bus routes.
This pilot program, however, shows potential for growth in El Cajon by intertwining with current public transportation services, he said.
“If a government is going to move towards anything it should be nimble and quick to respond to the demand,” Ortiz said. “It seems like you solved that last mile question to a large degree.”
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