Case Study
Tees Flex
Tees Valley, UK
Rural
Transit desert
9 fully accessible sprinters
1.5k
rides/week
62%
of car-owning riders said they now use their private vehicle less
77,000
fewer vehicle miles traveled
Overview
In early 2020, Stagecoach Group — the United Kingdom’s largest bus and coach operator — and Via announced a partnership to deploy an on-demand transit system in Tees Valley, a rural, industrial region in Northeast England. Stagecoach sought a software provider to help them deliver a reliable and convenient transit option for residents in more isolated communities across the region.
Solution
Looking to unlock and increase connections in more rural areas, Tees Flex — the new on-demand service — launched in three zones: Darlington and Stockton; Hartlepool; and Redcar and Cleveland. Riders can request on-demand or pre-booked rides within the service areas, and travel to destinations outside the designated zones, including train stations, hospitals, and the airport. Booking is available through the Tees Flex app, via a website, or over the phone, and all vehicles are wheelchair accessible.
In February 2021, the service was expanded and adjusted in just 24 hours to include the Darlington arena and provide rides to and from this mass vaccination site.
Tees Flex quickly attracted a large user base with more than 11,000 users and 90,000 completed rides — now averaging over 1,500 rides per week. The service is proving to be a popular choice among residents, reflected in an average rider rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars.
It’s more important than ever that people can access health services, get to the supermarket or to the local jobs and training opportunities we are creating for local people in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool. Now they can do all that with a touch of a button – with more locations making the service even more useful and convenient for everyone in our region."
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