September 7, 2023 (LEWISVILLE, TX) — GoZone on-demand rideshare from Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) has now completed two years of service providing efficient and convenient transportation to thousands of riders every month. DCTA is celebrating GoZone’s second anniversary today with treats for selected riders.
Since launching in September 2021, GoZone has become one of the most popular on-demand transit programs of its kind in the nation, with monthly ridership peaking at more than 77,000 rides in May 2023. As of mid-August, GoZone has completed more than 1.3 million rides.
“In just two years, GoZone has greatly impacted the public transit landscape in Denton County by providing service that meets unique needs across our member cities,” said Paul Cristina, Chief Executive Officer at DCTA. “GoZone is delivering thousands of riders to where they need and want to go as a critical part of our suite of transit options, and DCTA is proud to be a national leader in integrating on-demand transit and fixed route network assets.”
DCTA added GoZone to its network to enhance the value of the agency’s service offerings to its member cities by providing effective services to areas that are hard to reach effectively with fixed-route buses due to lower population density or unpredictable ridership patterns.
The service has been a tremendous success. In the zones where GoZone operates (Denton and Lewisville/Highland Village), the service has expanded residents’ access to jobs within a 30-minute commute by almost 94%. The service has also successfully gotten more citizens out of cars and onto public transit, with about 50% of GoZone trips replacing rides previously served by private cars.
“GoZone continues to perform well above our expectations. Day to day wait times and availability exceed our high standards, and we are seeing nearly double the ridership in Lewisville than we had previously drawn with bus service there.” said Mr. Cristina.
DCTA remains committed to continuously improving GoZone to best serve riders. GoZone vehicle efficiency has improved since launch, the program’s track record for safety remains strong, and a vast majority of GoZone trips receive 5-star ratings from riders.
GoZone is powered by TransitTech provider Via, which operates similar on-demand transit programs in more than 600 communities globally, including ZIPZONE in Fort Worth, Via Arlington in Arlington, and Via Grand Prairie in Grand Prairie.
GoZone drivers will be handing out GoZone themed packages of mints to about 500 customers today as part of the second birthday celebration.
For more information about GoZone, please visit the DCTA GoZone webpage or the Via GoZone webpage. Community members are encouraged to follow DCTA on Twitter and Facebook for ongoing service updates and other information.
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About Denton County Transportation Authority
Formed in 2002, Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) is a leader in advancing mobility initiatives while improving air quality, economic development and livability to serve its communities. The agency operates 18 fixed bus routes, a 21-mile A-train commuter rail line, on-demand rideshare, paratransit and additional services throughout Denton County and surrounding areas. In FY22, DCTA served nearly 2.2 million passengers system wide.
To learn more about how DCTA is driving the future of Denton County, visit RideDCTA.net, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram or LinkedIn.
About Via
Founded in 2012, Via pioneered the TransitTech category by using new technologies to develop public mobility systems — optimizing networks of buses, shuttles, wheelchair accessible vehicles, school buses, autonomous vehicles, and electric vehicles around the globe. Building the world's most efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation network for all passengers — including those with limited mobility, those without smartphones, and unbanked populations — Via works with its partners to lower the costs of public transit while providing transportation options that rival the convenience of a personal car while reducing environmental impact. At the intersection of transportation and technology, Via is a visionary market leader that combines software innovation with sophisticated service design and operational expertise to fundamentally improve the way the world moves, providing technology in 600 communities and more than 35 countries and counting.