The microtransit service, which will service approximately 47 miles of New Braunfels, is expected to launch Nov. 18, City Manager Robert Camareno said at the New Braunfels Economic Development Foundation quarterly luncheon Oct. 21.
The update
The contract to operate the program was awarded to River North Transit, a subsidiary of national TransitTech company Via, on Oct. 13. Via is separate from VIA Metropolitan Transit, the public transit service used in San Antonio, according to the city’s website.
The specifics
The program received state and federal grants to help fund the rideshare system, Camareno said. The funds come from the New Braunfels Transit District’s designation as a "small urbanized area" by the Federal Transit Administration. The FTA makes federal resources available for transit operating assistance and transportation-related planning in urbanized areas—defined as having populations of 50,000 or more.
The service will cost the city $6.08 million, as previously reported by Community Impact.
The cost per year will fluctuate between $1.15 million-$1.29 million a year over the course of five years, New Braunfels Transit Manager Julie Sitton said.
Year one of the service will be funded primarily by American Rescue Plan Act funds, and future funding depends on available state and federal money, Sitton said.
How it works
Ride the Rio! will have six active minivans in use for the program, with two on standby. Half of the fleet will also be Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, and wheelchair accessible, according to the city.
Riders can pay using cash, credit or debit cards, or over the phone. The service will be available from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. The cost for service is as follows:
- $4 per ride for the general public
- $2 concessionary price for eligible riders
