HIRTA releases new smartphone app, on-demand service

Sept. 22, 2022 (URBANDALE, IA) – HIRTA is excited to announce a new on-demand transportation service that will be powered by Via, the global leader in TransitTech. It is available in all seven counties in the service area. This new feature, starting on September 12th, is in addition to HIRTA’s existing service and is available with the new HIRTA On Demand smartphone app.

The service is a step forward towards HIRTA’s vision of enhancing community livability and promoting independent lifestyles for central Iowa residents. The easy-to-use HIRTA On Demand app will allow riders more flexibility to schedule, pay, and cancel rides.‍

HIRTA On Demand app highlights: 

• Reserve, track, and cancel rides through the app
• Receive automated ride notification reminders the night before a reservation, when the vehicle is approaching, and when the vehicle has arrived
• Pay fare by credit card directly in the app
• Monitor the real-time location of the vehicle
• Available in English and Spanish

Julia Castillo, Executive Director at HIRTA, said, “Mobility choice and flexibility is vital for people’s quality of life in the communities in which they live and it is up to us to use innovative technology to make that happen. This new On Demand service will allow us to take people where they need to go in the most affordable and environmentally responsible way possible, while maintaining the integrity of the other services we offer. We are certain HIRTA On Demand will appeal to both current and new riders, and look forward to seeing you on the bus.”  

The HIRTA On Demand will be available to download on the App Store and Google Play for free on September 6th and available to use beginning September 12th. Riders who do not wish to use the app can still schedule by calling 1 (877) 686-0029 or emailing erides@ridehirta.com.

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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 riders — 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 the 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.

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