BUSINESS PLAN HIGHLIGHTS
CITY OF ARLINGTON AWARDED FOR LEADERSHIP IN EQUITY-FOCUSED , INNOVATIVE TRANSPORTATION WITH VIA ON-DEMAND SERVICE
The City of Arlington has been named a “ Leader in Equitable Regional Transportation ” in the 2021 Via Impact Awards , which recognize cities and transit agencies who have delivered exceptional service to their communities by leveraging Via ’ s TransitTech . The City of Arlington is one of two organizations being recognized with the award this year out of Via ’ s 500 + global partners .
In this first iteration of the awards , Via is specifically celebrating the impact tech-enabled services have had on equity , from providing high-quality service to riders with disabilities to expanding access to jobs , education , healthcare , and other opportunities . Today , the service covers the entire Arlington population of nearly 400,000 residents , a majority of whom identify as people of color .
New Arlington On-Demand rider survey results and demographic data illustrates how the service is expanding access to affordable , equitable transportation in the region :
• The majority of riders use Arlington On-Demand to access jobs , healthcare , education , and more — with high quality service regardless of where they request a trip .
• Nearly 90 % of riders make less than the City ’ s median household income of ~$ 50k , and many riders report using the service as an alternative to private car ownership .
• With Arlington On-Demand in place , residents can now affordably access almost 50 % more of the city ’ s jobs , hospitals , and schools within 30 minutes than they could prior to the launch of the service .
“ Thousands of Arlington residents each week are choosing Arlington ’ s Via On-Demand service , whether out of convenience or out of necessity , for reliable transportation around town or to reach one of our regional commuter rail stations ,” said Alicia Winkelblech , Senior Strategic Initiatives Officer for the City of Arlington . “ This on-demand public transportation service is improving the quality of life for so many in our community , including those who require mobility assistance and students without their own vehicles . We are honored to be recognized for our partnership with Via ’ s TransitTech over the past four years to get our residents where they want to be , when they need to be , in an affordable way .”
“ Without question , Arlington is a global leader for efficient , accessible , tech-enabled public transportation — which is why we ’ re so excited to recognize them as a Leader in Equitable Regional Transportation for our first-ever Impact Awards ,” said Dillon Twombly , Chief Revenue Officer at Via . “ The Arlington community should be proud to be part of a city dedicated to innovative , equitable mobility .”
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