Sept. 21, 2023 (SUNDSVALL, SWEDEN) — Via, the global leader in TransitTech, is proud to announce its entry into the Swedish market with the launch of “paxa,” a demand-responsive public transportation program in partnership with Nobina, the largest bus operator in the Nordic region, and public transport authority Din Tur.
The paxa service, which hit the streets in mid-September, allows community members in the city of Sundsvall to book an on-demand ride through the Via-powered "paxa Din Tur" app (available in the Apple Store and Google Play). The goal of the program is to demonstrate how tech-enabled transportation can reduce reliance on private cars and expand public mobility access by providing flexible, convenient connections.
Via’s intelligent algorithms match passengers headed in the same direction into one paxa vehicle, and will direct them to one of 300 “virtual bus stops” a short walk away from their pickup and dropoff location. This nimble model allows paxa to serve the most amount of passengers with the most efficient route possible – while also helping connect citizens to other regional public transportation stations.
paxa Din Tur will first be made available in the Stenstan-Sidsjö-Södermalm area, and will expand to Sollefteå later this year.
"It's a flexible way to travel, complementing existing bus services. If we see that it turns out well, there is an opportunity to expand paxa into more parts of the region,” says Hans Forsberg (C), chairman of the municipality's service and administration committee. “Bus travel took a beating during the pandemic and now this model is being tested to get more people to use public transport in Sundsvall."
Via’s software is used in more than 600 communities globally to create more equitable, flexible, and sustainable public transportation networks that serve passengers of all needs. paxa Din Tur is a collaboration between the public transport authority in Västernorrland – Din Tur, Sundsvalls kommun, and Nobina Sverige AB.
###
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.