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    1. Technology

    Via Enters South American Market with CityBus 2.0 Deployment in Brazil

    Feb. 21, 2019
    Via has announced today the first deployment of its technology in South America. Developed in partnership with HP Transportes Coletivos in Goiânia, CityBus 2.0 marks Via’s first public transportation partnership in Brazil.
    Related To: Via Transportation

    Via has announced today the first deployment of its technology in South America. Developed in partnership with HP Transportes Coletivos in Goiânia, CityBus 2.0 marks Via’s first public transportation partnership in Brazil, beginning service on February 11. 

    The CityBus 2.0 launch makes Goiânia the first city in Latin America to introduce a fully flexible on-demand shuttle system operated by a public transit operator. HP is notably one of Brazil’s largest public transit operators, managing 900 buses for the 2 million residents in Goiânia and Brasília, through the consortium that includes Urbi Mobility. Together, they carry 8 million passengers a month.

    Through its partnership with Via, users can use an app to request a ride in nine districts around the city. Within the first week of service, more than 15,000 users downloaded the CityBus 2.0 app. Via’s advanced algorithms enable multiple riders to seamlessly share a single vehicle. The powerful technology directs passengers to a nearby corner — a virtual bus stop — for pick up and drop off, and dynamically routes the vehicle in real-time, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours, or inconvenient fixed routes and schedules. 

    The fleet of 14-seater Mercedes-Benz vans are capable of handling up to 3,500 trips per day, employing a workforce of 30 drivers. By grouping multiple passengers into a single shared vehicle, CitBus 2.0 helps to reduce congestion and emissions in Goiânia, providing an inexpensive and eco-friendly transportation alternative to congestion-causing private car ownership and single-occupancy vehicle trips.   

    “We are thrilled to partner with the innovative team at HP to bring Via’s technology to Brazil,” said Daniel Ramot, CEO and co-founder of Via. “The CityBus 2.0 service shows how public transportation and technology can work together to make a city smarter. The residents of Goiânia now have a comfortable, convenient, and affordable way to move around. This is truly a great example of a city embracing the future of mobility.”

    In its first phase, the CityBus 2.0 will operate Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. in eleven city districts: Central Sector, South Sector, Jardim Goiás, University Sector, Leste Vila Nova, Bueno Sector, West Sector, Nova Suíça, Airport Sector, Marista and Bela Vista Sector. Base fares start at R$ 2.50 — or $0.68 USD — and is variable for the distance traveled. When a rider places the request, the application immediately calculates the distance and shows the fare. Payment can be made by credit card or cash.

    "We all have responsibility for reducing traffic and this is fundamental to the urgent changes that need to happen in the system,” said HP Transportes Executive Director Indiara Ferreira. “The eyes need to be geared towards the prioritization of the collective public transporting and investing in innovation to promote transit ridership."

    Via has been tapped by cities and transit authorities in the United States and around the world to help re-engineer public transit from a regulated system of rigid routes and schedules to a fully dynamic, on-demand network. Via now has more than 50 launched and pending deployments in in more than 15 countries. Most recently, Via has launched on-demand transit services in Arlington, TX; Sydney, Australia; West Sacramento, CA; Berlin, Germany and Los Angeles, CA. Via is aiming to expand further in Latin America and is in active discussions with cities throughout the region.