Community
L.A. offers transit service pilot program
WAVE NEWSPAPERS — The Los Angeles Department of Transportation began operating an on-demand transportation service pilot program for the Del Rey, Venice, Mar Vista and Palms neighborhoods March 11. LAnow is a shared-ride service that will match passengers traveling to, from and within the Del Rey, Venice, Mar Vista and Palms service areas.
By Staff and Wire Reports
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Department of Transportation began operating an on-demand transportation service pilot program for the Del Rey, Venice, Mar Vista and Palms neighborhoods March 11.
LAnow is a shared-ride service that will match passengers traveling to, from and within the Del Rey, Venice, Mar Vista and Palms service areas.
Rides can be booked using a mobile application on a smartphone, on a computer or by phone.
“Finally, neighbors on the Westside have an alternative to being stuck in gridlock,” Councilman Mike Bonin said. “LAnow will give people a convenient way to make short trips or get to and from the Expo Line. I’m proud to deliver this pilot program for my district, and I’m confident it will demonstrate that neighborhood shuttles can help us get us around and free us from the misery of traffic congestion.”
LAnow will be available to riders on weekdays between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the initial phase of the pilot program.
The price of rides on the service will be $1.50 for adults and children over 5, 75 cents for seniors and the disabled, and free for children under 4.
“Our focus remains giving our riders the best experience we can — sometimes that’s reliable and steady service. Other times, it means flexibility,” Transportation Department General Manager Seleta Reynolds said. “LAnow enables transit on demand, when and where people need it most. I am proud that [the department] is pioneering this service as it continues a legacy of providing innovation to those who live, work, and visit Los Angeles.”
More than 3,000 residents in the service area participated in the Transportation Department’s outreach efforts and provided input that contributes to how the service will operate, City Councilman Paul Koretz said.
“That level of public engagement is how public services should be developed and implemented,” Koretz added. “It is for that reason that I am confident that our Palms and Westside Village neighborhoods will be happy to have this new, easy to use, affordable option to complete their first mile/
last mile connections to the Expo light rail line.”
This article originally appeared in the Wave Newspapers.
