May 10, 2023 (MEMPHIS) — Groove On-Demand, Memphis’s app-based, on-demand public transit service, is proud to announce it has surpassed 100,000 rides since its inception in February 2021.
Groove On-Demand was introduced as a joint initiative between Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA), the Memphis Medical District Collaborative, and the Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC), with the goal of using technology to expand the community’s access to jobs, commercial, and medical opportunities. The service helps Memphis achieve a ‘Downtown for Everyone’ vision by providing safe, reliable mobility for seniors, students, commuters, riders with disabilities, and visitors alike.
Groove On-Demand allows anyone in the service zone to book an on-demand shared ride through the Groove On-Demand app (available in the App Store and Google Play) or by calling 901-763-8422. The service is powered by Via’s software, which uses intelligent algorithms to match riders headed in the same direction into one vehicle for quick, efficient trips.
New data highlights how Groove On-Demand is helping Memphis achieve strides in social equity and environmental sustainability:
- Groove has enabled access to 93% more of the city's jobs in the service area within 30 minutes than previously accessible with just fixed line transit.
- 71% of riders do not have a car, and most trips are to and from essential destinations (including Kroger, MATA stations, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital).
- Nearly 45% of Groove On-Demand rides replace rides that were previously served by private vehicles, and the service reduces emissions by about 47% overall.
As Groove On-Demand evolves, the service continues to prioritize a safe, reliable experience for riders and drivers, evidenced by an average ride rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars and investments in driver safety training programs.
Groove On-Demand is available Monday through Sunday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Rides are $1.25, or 50 cents for riders with MATA-issued senior or disability IDs and Shelby County student IDs. Wheelchair accessible vehicles are available upon request.
For more information on Groove On-Demand, please visit city.ridewithvia.com/groove-on-demand.
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About MATA
The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) is the public transportation provider for the Memphis area. As one of the largest transit operators in the state of Tennessee, MATA transports customers in the City of Memphis and parts of Shelby County on fixed-route buses, paratransit vehicles and vintage rail trolleys. For more information, visit www.matatransit.com.
About Downtown Memphis Commission
The Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) drives Downtown’s role as the economic, cultural, and governmental core of our city and county. The DMC is funded by an assessment on commercial property in the Central Business Improvement District (CBID), which is reinvested into fueling incentives and activations designed to support the growth of Downtown’s population and appraised commercial property values.
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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