New shuttle service launched in New York City

Ford Motor Company is launching its crowd-sourced shuttle service Chariot in New York City, aiming to provide new mobility solutions to consumers.

Chariot offers commuters, some of whom live in transit deserts (areas that are not within walking distance of public transportation), a new way of getting from point A to point B.

During typical commuting times, Chariot shuttles will travel to busy areas where people work, then bring them back at the end of the day. Each Chariot comfortably accommodates more than a dozen people and guarantees seats for every rider.

“Our mission at Chariot is to provide reliable, safe and affordable transportation for as many people as possible,” said Chariot CEO Ali Vahabzadeh. “We want to connect people more easily to where they want to go – whether they need help making it to a transit hub or live in an area underserved by public transportation.”

As part of the New York launch, commuters will be able to use a streamlined crowd-sourcing process to make the experience more user-friendly. The Chariot map will display service areas being crowd-sourced – giving commuters the chance to choose and contribute to these potential service areas.

Users can even create a custom route for areas they feel would benefit from Chariot, then share their proposal with friends, family and neighbours who may be taking similar commutes. Once enough riders sign up to support and fund a proposed route, as many Chariots as needed will be dispatched to service the area.

To use the service, passengers simply check the app to find commuter routes near them, then reserve a guaranteed seat as they head toward their assigned Chariot.

Chariot can also expand the reach of public transportation and offer first- and last-mile solutions to complete commuter routes. In San Francisco, where Chariot operates 12 commuter service areas, about 20% of riders use it to connect to transit hubs.

New York is the latest market to get Chariot’s service, which is launching with two pre-planned service areas in Manhattan and Brooklyn, at a flat rate of $4 per ride. By autumn, Chariot plans to have 60 vehicles operating in New York City.