The UK’s leader in shared rides set sights on evolving the future of public transport in the capital
15 July 2019 (LONDON) -- ViaVan, the joint-venture between Via and Mercedes-Benz Vans in Europe, has been granted a 3-year Private Hire Vehicle Operator license renewal to continue to operate efficient on-demand shared transport in London by Transport for London (TfL).
“We are proud to receive the renewal of our license in London. We believe that ViaVan’s focus on smart, shared mobility is part of the solution to achieving the Mayor’s goal of 80% journeys by public transport, walking or biking by 2041,” said Chris Snyder, ViaVan CEO. “To actually get Londoners out of private vehicles and on-board with the city’s goals, it’s necessary to provide a technology-driven solution that combines the efficiency, comfort and convenience of a personal vehicle with the affordability and traffic-reducing benefits of public transport.”
Since its launch in April 2018, ViaVan has provided more than 7 million rides in London and saved 3 million vehicle kilometers by pooling multiple passengers into shared vehicles, resulting in more than 600,000 kilograms of CO2 saved. During this time, ViaVan expanded to serve London city-wide, and won a highly competitive tender to collaborate with TfL in launching London's first demand-responsive bus pilot in the borough of Sutton, a project which is directly in line with the city’s vision for the future of transport.
A key point of differentiation for ViaVan in London is the company’s focus on the evolution of on-demand public transport to reduce single occupancy vehicles on the road and reduce the impact of rising congestion and harmful carbon emissions. Using powerful technology from U.S. provider Via, ViaVan has proven to be a strong solution for public transport operators and partners, not only in London with TfL but across the UK in both rural and urban areas.
Via’s technology powers the ArrivaClick service in Liverpool, Leicester and Sittingbourne. In Sittingbourne, 50 percent of ArrivaClick passengers have shifted from private modes of transport, and significant numbers use the service to connect to commuter train lines. In partnership with Go Ahead, ViaVan provides nearly 4,000 shared journeys a week in Oxford, and most recently launched GoSutton with TfL. ViaVan also launched a second UK consumer service in Milton Keynes in October 2018 that has provided more than 55K rides and saved more than 17,000 kilograms of CO2, with the introduction of electric vehicles to the fleet coming this fall.
About ViaVan:
ViaVan is a leading provider of innovative on-demand shared transit services in Europe. ViaVan was founded in 2017 as a joint venture between Via, the world’s most sophisticated developer of dynamic shared rides technology, and Mercedes-Benz Vans, the leading manufacturer of iconic passenger and cargo vans. Working closely with cities and public transit operators, ViaVan powers dynamic shared mobility services that complement existing transportation infrastructure, and currently operates in London, Amsterdam, Berlin and Milton Keynes. Through their partnership, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Via are also collaborating on the development of advanced mobility solutions, from sensor technology, to electric vehicle fleet management, to autonomous driving.