December 5, 2022 (BIRMINGHAM) — The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) is joining the City of Birmingham to expand the hours of Birmingham’s microtransit service, Birmingham On-Demand.
As a result of the partnership, riders will enjoy new evening hours from 8-11 p.m. in the City Center zone, with a larger coverage area that includes Avondale and the west side of the city after 7 p.m.
The new partnership between the City and BJCTA means that both entities will jointly fund and operate the service, and the Birmingham community should expect to see some fresh updates in early 2023 – including a new service name, a new app interface, and freshly-designed vehicles.
For now, riders should still book rides through the Birmingham On-Demand app (available in the App Store and Google Play) or by calling 205-236-0768. More information about using the service can be found here.
Birmingham On-Demand was introduced to the city in February 2019, and has since served more than 130,000 rides to the city’s residents, visitors, and workers. Its goal is to use tech to expand access to flexible, equitable public transportation through extending the reach of BJCTA’s existing 20 fixed-route transit lines and 34 BRT stations, including 2 transit centers. The service uses advanced software from Via, the global leader in TransitTech, to match riders headed in the same direction into one vehicle, creating efficient shared trips. Rides cost a flat fee of $1.50.
“We’re excited about expanding the Birmingham On-Demand microtransit service through our partnership with the BJCTA,” said James Fowler, Director of Birmingham Department of Transportation. “We believe that microtransit continues to be a critical tool for the City and the region as we continue to broaden our transportation choices. Individual car ownership should not be required in order to have a high quality of life, so public transportation is important.”
"This is the beginning of public microtransit and a partnership with the city of Birmingham to ensure public transportation throughout the city of Birmingham,” said BJCTA CEO Charlotte Shaw.
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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 600 communities and more than 35 countries and counting.
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