Hampton Roads Transit will restart and expand a rideshare service next month that costs $2 a ride, giving people in Newport News and Virginia Beach more transportation options.
Through the microtransit program, passengers make a ride reservation on Hampton Roads Transit OnDemand app and are picked up in minivans. Passengers will be given a time and location to meet the vehicles within a short time frame and distance from their location, typically a block or less. Trips will be shared with other riders going in similar directions or to similar destinations.
The service relaunches Oct.14 and will operate for 12 months, said Hampton Roads Transit spokesperson Thomas Becher. Afterward, there will be a three-month period during which HRT will review performance and ridership data. Service previously was offered in certain parts of both cities from July 2022 to the following February.
The service is expected to run from 5 a.m to 9 p.m Monday through Friday and 7 a.m to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
In Newport News, the service will be provided in a roughly 20-square-mile zone. Locations served will include the DW Entertainment and Shopping Center, Jefferson Commons, Patrick Henry Mall, Riverview Farm Park, Christopher Newport University, Riverside Hospital, Target and the Denbigh Community Center.
The Virginia Beach City Council approved funding in August to bring the microtransit program back to the Bayside area. The council is still evaluating a second zone to offer the transportation service.
The previous iteration of the program in Newport News and Virginia Beach transported more than 31,000 passengers, HRT officials told Newport News City Council on Tuesday. More than 20,000 hailed rides in Newport News. HRT hopes to increase ridership by 20% over the original pilot project.
Becher said that while the rides cost $2 for most passengers, teens from 13-17 who use HRT’s student freedom pass can ride for free.
The cost of the program for the participating cities is still being worked out, though both have approved funding for the project. The cities are expected to chip in a total of $700,000 (or $350,000 each) as a 20% match to the $3.5 million state grant funding the program.
The Virginia Beach City Council approved $350,000 to bring the program back to the Bayside area. If the council decides to expand the program, the city has set aside another $116,000. If Virginia Beach ends up spending $466,000 for both the original and second zone, Newport News will only need to contribute $233,000.
Newport News councilwoman Pat Woodbury said Tuesday she was “thrilled” by the success of the previous program. But she wondered if lack of service for the past year will lead to a ridership loss when the new program launches. Ray Amoruso, HRT’s chief planning and development officer, said he didn’t believe there was any danger of losing riders, and assured the council “they’ll come back.”
Amoruso told the council that microtransit will be a significant part of the region’s future.
“As we continue to struggle with finding commercial driver’s license-certified bus operators, this is another way we can provide service to people relying on public transportation,” he said.
Staff writer Stacy Parker contributed to this report.
Josh Janney, joshua.janney@virginiamedia.com
