The County of Wellington officially launched their rural transit service RIDE WELL today on the Wellington Place campus.
The pilot project is a ridesharing model groups passengers travelling to similar pick-up and/or drop-off locations in a shared vehicle.
The service provides demand-based ridesharing to offer door-to-door transportation throughout Wellington County and two transfer points in the City of Guelph.
Economic Development Officer James Vaclavek, says it offers residents an affordable way to get around.
The fares are set at $0.60 per kilometre. There's a minimum fare of $5.00 and a maximum fare of $40.00.
"We've gotten calls from folks that are really just looking to use the service to visit friends, go to the bank, go to the pharmacy. it really just kinda gives them their independence back, which is the whole purpose of this program," Vaclavek added.
The service is available from Monday to Friday between the hours of 6:00am to 7:00pm.
Passengers are able to book RIDE WELL trips with an app, at ridewell.ca, or at 1.833.900.RIDE.
At the time of booking, passengers are given an approximate pick-up window, details about their driver and vehicle, and an estimate of how long their journey is expected to take.
To deliver the service the County has partnered with RideCo to employ a team of dedicated drivers and develop a mobile app and website that allows customers to book, pay, and track their ride in real-time.
“The RIDE WELL service is providing our residents with an affordable and accessible option to travel throughout Wellington County’s expansive urban and rural landscapes”, said Warden Kelly Linton. “The need for rural transit has been identified as a priority across the County, and I am confident that this service will suit the needs of our diverse communities.”
“We’re so excited to be piloting this innovative rural transportation solution,” commented Economic Development Chair, George Bridge. “RIDE WELL has the ability to significantly enhance the lives of our residents and help them engage in our communities, and we look forward to evaluating the success of this service over the next five years.”