SALEM — The city and its partner Via Transportation hope to launch a new on-demand ride-sharing shuttle service in mid-to-late December of this year.
“It’s really about trying to reduce the amount of vehicles on the roadway,” said David Kucharsky, Salem’s director of traffic and parking. “We’re also trying to reduce the congestion and the constraints on parking in the city.”
Residents and tourists will be able to request rides throughout the city using the Via app, which is similar to Uber or Lyft, but more affordable.
Kucharsky estimates that the shuttle will cost around $2 per ride with a potential 50 percent discount for seniors and students high-school age or younger.
The service, funded by a grant from MASSDOT and a community agreement with Footprint Power, is expected to be revenue neutral for the city.
The process of getting the shuttle service started began with a feasibility study published in 2018. The city continued exploring options and came to the conclusion that an on-demand ride-sharing program was the best path forward.
The city commissioned bids and conducted an interview process before selecting Via Transportation Inc., a vehicle-for-hire company that operates shuttle services worldwide.
Kucharsky reported that the project was briefly put on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the city decided to continue it upon examining Via’s work operating COVID-conscious shuttle services in other communities.
The program is a pilot operation that will last for approximately nine months before being evaluated for potential extension or expansion.
“It depends on how the service gets used initially, so we’ll be tracking that throughout,” said Kucharsky. “One of the reasons we went with Via is that all of their rider data is collected.”
The pilot program will include four vehicles: two Chrysler Pacificas and two Dodge Caravans, each seating about six, though that number will be reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Caravans will be wheelchair accessible.
Drivers will be selected, vetted and trained by Via Transportation.
“I’m curious about it,” said Salem Ward 3 City Councillor Patti Morsillo. “We definitely need more transportation, and anything we can do to get cars off the road is great.”
Kucharsky expects that another transit program, a community car service similar to Zipcar, will be launched at the end of this year or early next year. This project, a partnership with Getaround, will feature 10 vehicles placed at five locations throughout the city.
He also hopes to reintroduce the city-wide bike-sharing program, which was recently discontinued.
“The mayor has always been trying to institute other options for people,” he said. “So they can live a car-light or car-free life in Salem.”
