Capital Metro has announced it will launch a free ride hailing bus service called Pickup beginning June 6. The new service will allow riders to arrange on-demand transit trips in the Mueller, Windsor Park and Coronado Hills neighborhoods using a mobile app. The service zone ranges from the intersection of Manor Rd. and Airport Blvd. to the I-35 access road north of Rutherford Ln.
The service will be available three days a week: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. It will be available free of charge for a limited time during the initial pilot phase. The Pickup service replaces another pilot program, the Upper Eastside Flex route, and its service zone will include the Mueller Development, Capital Plaza and Bartholomew Pool.
To access the service, riders need to download the app from their app store (both iOS and Android), register for an account and request a trip from their pickup point at a time they want and to a destination of their choosing. Their trip will then be matched with other travelers heading to the same destination, and the Pickup vehicle will arrive within 15 minutes. Riders without access to the smartphone app can call 512-369-6200.
The Pickup app was developed in partnership with Via, which operates on-demand ridesharing platforms in New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C., and licenses its technology to transportation providers globally.
“Capital Metro is thrilled to be able to work with Via and take part in an innovative pilot project like this,” said Capital Metro President/CEO Linda Watson. “It’s an exciting time to be in transportation, when so many new options are right around the corner. We’re committed to taking advantage of every opportunity we can to improve the way we move people around Central Texas.”
“At Via, we believe that everyone benefits when we increase the efficiency of vehicles on the road. Cities benefit from reduced congestion and emissions, and riders benefit from affordable and convenient transportation,” said Daniel Ramot, Via’s co-founder and CEO. “We’re delighted to be working with Capital Metro, our first public transit authority partner, to bring a revolutionary on-demand transportation solution to the people of Austin.”
