Buckhead’s on-demand, app-based shuttle service set to launch
April 13, 2022 (ATLANTA) – On April 19, Buckhead will launch the first on-demand, app-based transportation service in a major Atlanta business district. The new Buc offers the sustainability and affordability of transit with the convenience and flexibility of a ride-hailing service. Using the Buc app, riders can book an on-demand, shared ride to any destination within the service zone.
The goal of the service is to use technology to expand access to convenient, affordable, sustainable transportation for residents, visitors, and workers in Buckhead. Rides to and from Buckhead’s two MARTA train stations are free and other trips are just $3 each.
The Buc shuttle was the first service of its kind when it launched in 2003, offering commuters a convenient way to travel the “last mile” between a transit stop and a workplace. With the launch of its new, on-demand rideshare service, Buckhead is once again at the forefront of last-mile connectivity and transportation innovation.
“We could not be more thrilled to get this new service off the ground,” said Denise Starling, executive director of Livable Buckhead, the nonprofit organization managing the Buc. “We were two weeks away from our launch date in 2020 when the pandemic hit and put everything on hold. Two years later we are even more convinced that the flexibility of an on-demand rideshare service is the best solution, and we can’t wait to get it started in Buckhead.”
Riders can book an on-demand Buc shuttle ride through the Buc app, which is powered by Via, the global leader in transit tech. The app’s intelligent algorithms will match multiple passengers headed in the same direction to provide quick and efficient shared trips, without lengthy detours or inconvenient schedules. Riders without smartphones can also book a ride by calling 470-567-4337.
After selecting pick-up and drop-off points in the Buc app, riders are directed to a nearby “virtual bus stop” for pick up. The Buc will proceed toward the rider’s destination, pick up and dropping off additional passengers on the way if nearby rides are requested. Riders can track the shuttle’s progress in the app, and they will be picked up by one of four Buc-branded Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans.
The Buc will operate weekdays during the morning commute (7 to 9:30 a.m.), lunchtime (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) and evening commute (3:30 to 7 p.m.) with an extra hour of evening service on Thursdays and Fridays. The service zone covers most of central Buckhead, stretching from the Buckhead Village up to Piedmont Center, and across GA 400 to the Lenox MARTA Station. A wheelchair accessible vehicle is available for request in the app.
The free Buc app is available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. After downloading, users must follow a few simple sign-up steps to create an account and prepare to request their first ride. To encourage new riders to try the service, the first six rides on the Buc are free regardless of the pick-up and drop-off locations.
The Buc offers a convenient, cost-effective way for people to get around Buckhead without a car, helping to reduce emissions and traffic. Livable Buckhead is going a step further by partnering with GreenPrint, a global environmental technology company, to offset the Buc’s tailpipe emissions through the GreenerMiles program.
The new Buc service is funded by the Buckhead Community Improvement District, with a one-year contract approved by the CID board. This contract was awarded to Via, which provides transit tech software to more than 500 similar services globally, including Gainesville and Valdosta. Livable Buckhead manages the operations and communications of the shuttle system.
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About Livable Buckhead
Livable Buckhead is a nonprofit organization that strives to ensure the long-term viability and prosperity of the Buckhead community. The organization achieves its mission by working cooperatively with individuals, public entities and private businesses to integrate sustainable strategies. Livable Buckhead implements programs related to greenspace, recycling, energy efficiency, commute alternatives, arts and culture, real estate development and land use. For more information about Livable Buckhead and its programs, visit livablebuckhead.org.
About Buckhead CID
The objective of the Buckhead Community Improvement District (BCID), working with the City of Atlanta and its community partners, is to meet the challenges resulting from Buckhead’s rapid, primarily automobile-based growth, including improving safety, traffic mobility, enhancing the pedestrian environment, creating better access to public transit, initiating intra-district transportation alternatives, encouraging better integration of land uses and improving linkages to the region’s automobile, transit and bicycle networks.
About Via
Via builds innovative software to enable our customers – cities, transit agencies, transport operators, school districts, universities, and corporations – to transform their legacy transportation systems into advanced digital networks. As pioneers of the TransitTech category, Via’s mission is to expand access to efficient, affordable, and sustainable transportation. Via’s software enables organizations to digitize their existing transportation networks and launch new and innovative services, simultaneously lowering operating costs and increasing quality of service. Our software is used in over 500 communities in more than 35 countries around the world.