Via launches on-demand public transit in Tel Aviv
The new service, bubble, marks Via’s first deployment in Israel.
April 14, 2019 (Tel Aviv, Israel) — Via, the world’s leading provider and developer of on-demand shared mobility solutions, announced today its first deployment in Israel. Developed in partnership with public transit operator Dan Transportation the new service, bubble, aims to increase mobility and reduce traffic congestion in Tel Aviv and the surrounding cities of Ramat Gan and Givatayim. The service will begin on April 15.
“We are delighted to partner with the innovative team at Dan to bring Via’s technology to Tel Aviv, a city that Via already calls home to hundreds of engineering and technology jobs,” said Oren Shoval, co-founder and CTO of Via. “Our powerful passenger matching and vehicle routing algorithm enables our technology to seamlessly integrate into the existing public transit infrastructure providing a congestion reducing, convenient, and affordable way to get around.”
The service is part of a pilot program initiated by the Israeli Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transportation that seeks to explore how dynamic, on-demand mobility solutions can integrate with public transit to relieve Israel’s congestion issues.
Using the bubble app, riders will be able to hail a shuttle directly from their smartphone. Via’s advanced algorithms will enable multiple riders to seamlessly share the vehicle. The powerful technology will direct passengers to a nearby bus stop within a short walking distance for pick up and drop off, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours, or inconvenient fixed routes and schedules. The service will launch with a fleet of 40 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, including wheelchair-accessible vehicles. The number of vans will rapidly increase to 100 by May 2019.
Ride fares are set at a flat NIS 15 (USD $4.14) during rush hour and just NIS 12.5 (USD $3.44) the remaining time, a significantly less expensive option than taking your own private car especially when considering parking costs. Riders can also choose to purchase a bubble pass, which discounts 10 rides even further to NIS 12 regardless of the time of day. Senior citizens are eligible for an additional 50 percent discount.
Via has been tapped by cities and transportation players around the world to help re-engineer public transit from a regulated system of rigid routes and schedules to a fully dynamic, on-demand network. Via now has more than 60 launched and pending deployments in more than 15 countries. To learn more about Via, visit www.platform.ridewithvia.com.
About Via
Via is re-engineering public transit, from a regulated system of rigid routes and schedules to a fully dynamic, on-demand network. Via's mobile app connects multiple passengers who are headed the same way, allowing riders to seamlessly share a premium vehicle. First launched in New York City in September 2013, the Via platform operates in the United States and in Europe through its joint venture with Mercedes-Benz Vans, ViaVan. Via's technology is also deployed worldwide through dozens of partner projects with public transportation agencies, private transit operators, taxi fleets, private companies, and universities, seamlessly integrating with public transit infrastructure to power cutting-edge on-demand mobility. For more information, visit www.platform.ridewithvia.com.