Via’s shared transit venture launches free service to Madrid hospitals

The service is planned to operate until the end of August for seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

ViaVan, the European shared transit venture of Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz Vans and ridesharing company Via Transportation Inc., announced Wednesday the launch of an on-demand public transit bus for trips to and from hospitals in Madrid.

 

The service is offered in collaboration with the city’s mayor’s office, its public transportation provider Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid (EMT), and the Madrid City Council. Offered free of charge, the service is meant to complement existing fixed-line transit services provided by EMT, connecting residents and healthcare providers with the city’s Infanta Leonor Hospital and 12 de Octubre Hospital.

 

A Via Van operating in New York. Photo: Via

The service is planned to operate until the end of August for seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Passengers can book their rides through a dedicated app that calculates the optimal route to accommodate multiple users.

 

ViaVan and Via have more than 100 partnerships in 20 countries and have provided more than 80 million rides to date, the companies said in a statement.

 

 

EMT Madrid launch video from Via on Vimeo.