November 14, 2019 (NEW YORK) -- Via, New York’s leader
in public mobility solutions, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
(PANYNJ), announce a pilot program to launch LGA Connect, a new flat-rate
shared ride service from LaGuardia Airport to all five boroughs. Leading into
the busy holiday season, Via and PANYNJ aim to reduce private vehicle trips
from the airport with the introduction of congestion-reducing, convenient and
affordable shared rides as part of public transit.
Powered by Via’s technology for on-demand shared
rides, LGA Connect provides travelers full transparency and price consistency
with $15 flat-rate rides booked from LaGuardia to Manhattan, Brooklyn and
Queens, and $20 to Staten Island and the Bronx.
More than 30 million travelers flew through LaGuardia
Airport last year, and more than 90 percent of those travelers used private vehicles, individual taxis
and similar methods of travel that contribute to stagnating traffic. The
Via and PANYNJ pilot represents an opportunity for the public and private
sectors to work together to introduce a solution that could meaningfully reduce
congestion and expand access to a new form of public transit at New York City’s
highly-trafficked airports.
“As the leader in vehicle utilization in New York
City, we are proud to partner with the Port Authority to integrate Via’s
technology and experience in shared rides into public transit through LGA
Connect,” said Daniel Ramot, co-founder and CEO of Via. “Shared rides have the
power to alleviate the heavy congestion experienced at LaGuardia Airport, while
allowing New Yorkers to travel into the city in a convenient and affordable
way.”
“This pilot with Via builds on two Port Authority
priorities: customer experience and sustainability, said Rick Cotton, Executive
Director of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. “We are in the peak
of construction of an entirely new airport with the high-volume holiday travel
season now upon us. Since the agency is constantly looking for ways to reduce
congestion and improve the LaGuardia experience, we welcome Via’s LGA Connect
service which offers LaGuardia travelers a sustainable, affordable option to
reach their final destinations in all five boroughs, including travel public
transit hubs.”
How it
Works:
LGA Connect rides can be booked 7 days a week between
8 am and 1 am with a credit card through the Via app, or with the help of a
dispatcher at a designated “LGA Connect” pickup point outside of Terminal C/D.
In the Via app, passengers select “LGA Connect” from the menu, and enter their
desired destination. Via’s algorithm matches multiple passengers headed in the
same direction into a single vehicle and provides passengers with vehicle
identification information and an ETA. Rides depart within 10 minutes, and
passengers will be dropped off at a nearby corner within walking distance of
their destination.
Via’s pilot program with PANYNJ is the next step in
the company’s vision to evolve public mobility across the globe with smart,
shared technology solutions. LGA Connect follows closely on the heels of the
announcement that Via will launch an on-demand public bus service in
partnership with the City of Jersey City and is a complement to Via’s consumer
business that was born in New York City in 2013.
As demonstrated by TLC data, Via is not only the
leader in vehicle utilization, but also driver earnings in New York City. In
the last year alone, Via riders saved more than $90M, 16M vehicle miles and
12.2M pounds of CO2 by opting to ride shared instead of private.
About Via:
Via is re-engineering public transit, from a regulated
system of rigid routes and schedules to a fully dynamic 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 more than 90 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.