Memphis's Groove On-Demand expands hours after one year of successful service
Memphis area’s Groove On-Demand public transit service is expanding to seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The service’s goals are to expand access to efficient, equitable public transit in Memphis and the increased service hours are a testament to the success that Groove On-Demand has seen since launching last February.
Groove On-Demand has provided more than 55,000 rides to date, many of which are helping riders reach essential destinations in Memphis such as hospitals, government buildings, grocery stores and residential areas. The service allows any rider to book an on-demand ride within minutes to travel anywhere in Downtown Memphis, the Medical District, South City and New Chicago.
Recent rider survey results have uncovered some meaningful insights that demonstrate how Groove has made a positive impact on the Memphis community in the last year:
- Groove has high customer satisfaction, with loyal riders. A total of 97 percent of riders would be very or somewhat disappointed if they could no longer use Groove.
- Groove is helping people travel more often and more affordably. The top answers for using Groove are affordability and convenience—81 percent of riders said that saving money is a main benefit, and 38 percent said that they travel more with Groove.
- Groove is filling transit equity needs in Memphis—62 percent of riders make below $50k per year, and 67 percent of riders said they do not own a personal vehicle.
Rides can be booked easily through the Groove On-Demand smartphone app or by calling. The service is powered by Via. Via’s algorithms match multiple passengers headed in the same direction to provide quick and efficient shared trips, without lengthy detours or inconvenient schedules. A trip costs $1.25 (with discounted rates available to seniors, students and those with disabilities). The first 10 rides are free for new riders.
Groove On-Demand is supported by a partnership between the Downtown Memphis Commission, Memphis Area Transit Authority and the Memphis Medical District Collaborative.