LOS ANGELES – Metrolink riders boarding or detraining at the Burbank Airport-South, Burbank-Downtown and El Monte stations can now use the Via on-demand shared ride hailing service for free to complete their trip.
The free ride option is for a limited time. The ongoing fare will be announced once the free promotion is complete. The on-demand service is part of a test program designed to make Metrolink easier for commuters to use, while enticing new riders.
Travelers can book a shared ride through the Via app, available at the App Store or Google Play, or by calling the company directly at (619) 731-0710. The Via service is available Monday – Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Via is wheelchair accessible with specially-equipped vehicles to assist persons with mobility limitations.
“This service and partnership is a step toward creating a much-needed solution to one of the biggest challenges facing public transportation, which is bridging transit centers to people’s homes and final destinations,” said Metrolink CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “Microtransit solutions are needed to help travelers with the first and last mile portions of their commutes and this pilot program helps us gauge various solutions under consideration.”
The program’s service zones connecting to Metrolink consist of a 13-square-mile area around the Burbank Airport-South and Burbank-Downtown stations, and a 23-square-mile area around the El Monte Station.
“Via’s technology is redefining mobility across the globe, and we are thrilled to grow our partnership with LA Metro and Metrolink to provide residents with a convenient, affordable, and congestion-reducing dynamic transportation alternative,” said Daniel Ramot, CEO and co-founder of Via. “Via’s powerful passenger matching and vehicle routing algorithm is a solution to solving the area’s first-and-last mile challenge.”
Metrolink joins an existing one-year pilot program launched by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) in January.
The pilot program is funded through a $1.35 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration for its Mobility on Demand Sandbox Demonstration program.
For more information about Metrolink, visit www.metrolinktrains.com and for more information about the Via rideshare option, visit www.ridewithvia.com/losangeles.
ABOUT METROLINK (www.metrolinktrains.com) Metrolink is Southern California’s regional commuter rail service in its 26th year of operation. Metrolink is governed by The Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), a joint powers authority made up of an 11-member board representing the transportation commissions of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardinoand Ventura counties. Metrolink operates seven routes through a six-county, 538 route-mile network. Metrolink’s passengers travel approximately 441 million miles each year, making Metrolink the second busiest public transportation provider in Southern California. Metrolink is the third largest commuter rail agency in the United States based on directional route miles and the eighth largest based on annual ridership.
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