Oh Good. RantWoman’s Twitter feed is full of other transit nerds
already asking a number of questions about Via, the new app and pilot program
that provides rides between southend Link stations and other destinations.
Wheelchair accessible? The app promises someone will call. RantWoman
will leave further reporting to Twitter.
Um, no. RantWoman will not just leave further reporting to Twitter.
RantWoman saw the bit about refer a friend. RantWoman will refer a couple
people near and dear to her who now use paratransit. RantWoman thinks light
rail a substantial part of the trip plus Via for a short distance might be an
awesome substitute for a long paratransit trip at least for paratransit riders
who also ride the bus.. RantWoman also
thinks the convenience of Via would make a great substitute for scheduling
hassles and the need to schedule in advance. RantWoman hopes zillions of people
who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids will call or sign in and attempt to
book a ride just so there is some kind of record of likely demand. RantWoman
also thinks running this service long-term without wheelchair accessible
vehicles is not legally sustainable. But RantWoman is not a lawyer.
Appaccessibility? RantWoman downloaded the App via the Playstore and
the link on Metro’s website. No autorotate. Sigh. Then as RantWoman was creating
her signin at some point the phone froze and Talkback and vibrate on touch both
refused to work. RantWoman eventually was able to go back to the home screen.
The next time she opened the app, whatever the issue was seems to have resolved
itself. So far
Fare? The same as bus fare, $2.75. Does having a monthly pass count or
does the fare always come out of one’s ORCA wallet. What if one has a disabled
pass? Via seems to be targeted at people who do not already ride the bus, but RantWoman
has no trouble thinking of trips that would greatly expand possibilities for
riders with a disabled pass, and for lower cost per ride than current paratransit.
I am blind and may or may not be able to find the nearby corner. How do
I connect with my Via ride?
Confidentiality? RantWoman is not crazy about the app displaying her
phone number. RantWoman would also
prefer an anonymized promo code rather than one based on her first name.
So RantWoman is eager to see what else the riding public has to say!
And here is a link to download the app yourself.
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