New Braunfels, TX to launch Ride the Rio, upgrading microtransit services
Article originally published in The New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung by Tennyson Luhrs — version edited slightly below for clarity.
Starting Nov. 18, the city of New Braunfels will launch a new microtransit system, Ride the Rio, powered by Via Transportation, to provide low cost, on-demand, accessible transportation.
Rides can be booked on-demand through the app, available for download beginning Nov. 11, or scheduled for “a select group of eligible riders who require scheduled reliability,” according to the city’s website.
Handicap accessible vans will be available, and for those needing a ride outside the city service area, the former system, Alamo Regional Transit (ART), will continue operation. Ride the Rio will function seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at a flat rate of $4, or $2 for seniors, veterans, university students and people with disabilities, and rides will be free until Jan. 1, 2026.
New Braunfels Director of Transportation and Construction Services Garry Ford said the city felt a need to improve the ART public transportation service, especially as the community continues to grow.
“Via shares the Cityʼs commitment to creating a more accessible future of transportation for all, and we are thrilled to work together to expand access to flexible, efficient transit for residents,” Via’s Global Public Relations Associate Principal Sara-Jessica Dilks stated. “We are confident this program will help residents of all ages and backgrounds to access jobs, education, healthcare and other essential services.”
Transit Manager Julie Sitton said there will be eight vans, with six running while two remain on standby, and 50% of vehicles will be wheelchair accessible. Via is an all-encompasing technology system, Sitton said, and their global success drew the city to work with them.
Dilks stated that they serve 680 communities globally, and Texas is a “leading state in terms of microtransit momentum,” where they have served over 7 million rides in the state alone.
“Across the country, microtransit has proven to increase access to jobs, healthcare, education and other important opportunities – getting people out of the house more, reducing reliance on private vehicles, saving people money and reducing traffic congestion,” Dilks stated.
From Nov. 18 to Jan. 1, the program will be “soft launched,” according to Ford, with the intent of ensuring current ART users are aware of the switch and to gather feedback on needed improvements before it is more widely publicized.
Ford said the city is continuing a traffic study to determine the need for broader public transportation connecting to San Marcos, Seguin, San Antonio and other cities along I-35.
“[The study] looks at demand, generators and travel patterns,” Ford said. “We’ve identified a couple key connections along the region. So, are we connecting to Texas State, employment centers in Seguin, healthcare in San Antonio or even UTSA in San Antonio? It’s really kind of looking at those major drivers that would support public transportation.”
###