SunLine Transit Agency’s SunRide adds amenities with new Via app
The agency’s Via-powered on-demand transit service now offers real-time tracking and improved driver communication
March 24, 2025 (Thousand Palms, CA) – SunLine Transit Agency announced today that its microtransit service, known as SunRide, will be enhanced through a new TransitTech provider and app, Via.
SunRide is an on-demand rideshare mobility solution launched by SunLine in 2021. It is designed to provide flexible, first-mile/last-mile connections within designated zones in the Coachella Valley. It operates through a mobile app, where passengers can book a ride connecting riders to SunLine’s Fixed Route Network and other stops within a defined zone.
Important Update for Riders: Existing riders should download the Via-powered SunRide app (now available in the Google Play and Apple App Store), as the current app will no longer be usable as of March 31, 2025. By transitioning to Via, SunLine gains access to a more advanced microtransit platform, successfully used in over 150 communities across the U.S. In addition to the app, riders may also book their trip by calling 760-539-9705. Because SunRide is an on-demand service, rides cannot be pre-scheduled in advance.
Via’s technology also strengthens the overall SunLine network by incorporating improved “multimodal” planning, meaning SunRide riders will be shown SunLine bus route directions if it is a better option for their proposed journey.
“As we continue to improve mobility across the Coachella Valley, upgrading SunRide with Via’s technology allows us to provide more efficient on-demand service,” said Mona Babauta, CEO/General Manager of SunLine Transit Agency.
“This transition will make it easier for riders to book trips, and they will now have the ability to use real-time tracking to see how close their driver is. They can even call their driver through the app if they need to communicate,” said Paul Mattern, Chief Planning Officer of SunLine Transit Agency.
SunRide operates within eight distinct zones in Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs-Desert Edge, Indio, La Quinta, Mecca-North Shore, Palm Desert and Palm Springs. The cost to use SunRide is $3 per person per ride, which includes a free transfer to SunLine local routes 1-9. SunRide runs Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
For more information about SunLine Transit Agency, visit SunLine.org.
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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 700 communities and more than 35 countries and counting.