Service for on-demand electric buses already running in parts of Brampton will be coming to communities north of the city later this year.<\/p>\n
Service for on-demand electric buses already running in parts of Brampton will be coming to communities north of the city later this year.<\/p>\n
The Town of Caledon has partnered with Argo Corporation on a 15-month pilot project that will bring the company\u2019s on-demand transit service to Caledon East, Bolton, the Mayfield West and Southfields areas.<\/p>\n
Like a combination of a ride share app and public transit, Argo uses a smartphone app to let users request rides and travel directly to their desired destination.<\/p>\n
The service is expected to launch in the fall for a 15-month pilot project at a cost of $4.5 million, with an option to extend for an additional year, the company says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe system is expected to serve Caledon East, Bolton and Mayfield West\/Southfields, with connections to GO Transit, Brampton Transit and York Region Transit,\u201d Argo said in a release.<\/p>\n
The service picks riders up from their door for point-to-point trips or connections to Brampton Transit and GO Transit lines through an on-demand, fully electric service integrated with Ontario\u2019s PRESTO fare system.<\/p>\n
Argo is already available in some areas of Brampton as well as Brantford, and the new service was initially going to replace a trio of Brampton Transit routes when the program rolls out<\/a> \u2013 routes 81, 25 and 41 servicing Bolton, Mayfield West and Caledon East. Those bus lines will stay up and running until the end of 2026, the town says.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Bus routes spared temporarily under new Brampton-to-Caledon on-demand bus program<\/a><\/p>\n In a report, the town said existing fixed-route services on routes 81, 25 and 41 have \u201climited frequency and coverage, resulting in service gaps, and they do not currently connect communities nor do they serve Caledon East.\u201d<\/p>\n Argo Transit services will operate seven days per week to cover existing service times offered through Brampton Transit, and will \u201ctarget to reduce median wait times to 20-minutes while ensuring 100 (per cent) trip fulfillment,\u201d the report reads.<\/p>\n Argo rides cost the same as a regular Brampton Transit trip. Fare payments on Argo vehicles can be made with a Presto card, while cash and paper tickets will not be accepted. All other forms of Brampton Transit fares are valid, including transfers.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Caledon agreement expands Argo\u2019s Smart Routing infrastructure and service to a third municipality, enabling better connectivity for riders and enhanced efficiency across the Argo network,\u201d CEO & co-founder of Argo Praveen Arichandran said in a release.<\/p>\n For more information on Argo or to download the app, visit www.rideargo.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n