SAN ANTONIO (May 2, 2016)—VIA Metropolitan Transit has been selected as the 2016 Outstanding Metropolitan Transit System by the Texas Transit Association. This award is given in recognition of the agency’s achievements over the previous year. The Texas Transit Association lauds VIA for its efforts to enhance the region’s public transportation system by introducing new services and products and enhancing passenger amenities, while continuing to build partnerships throughout the region to advance public transportation.
VIA’s key achievements over 2015, which were noted as part of the award, included:
• VIA’s installation of 1,000 new bus shelters in a two-year period as part of the SmartMove Program. By the end of 2016, 95 percent of all VIA boardings will occur at sheltered locations.
• VIA was the first major transit system in the nation to implement free 4G LTE WiFi service on every vehicle and at every facility system wide.
• VIA opened Centro Plaza at VIA Villa, a state-of-the-art transit hub in the historic West Side of San Antonio, in the fall of 2015. The Plaza is part of VIA Villa, a complex that includes The Grand, a renovated historic rail deport that serves as VIA’s Corporate Headquarters. Centro Plaza at VIA Villa provides digital next-bus arrival signs, climate-controlled waiting areas, free 4G LTE WiFi, and a full Customer Service Center.
• VIA amplified community engagement efforts, including: outreach that utilized online information and surveying; community events hosted by outside agencies; and other traditional outreach methods. Three online and in-person surveys conducted over the past year have formed the foundation for Vision 2040, VIA’s updated long-range comprehensive transportation plan.
“Together, the VIA Board of Trustees and the agency’s staff are committed to collaborative efforts to provide transportation options and promote transit choices across this region of the state,” said VIA Board Chair Hope Andrade. “We are humbled and honored to be selected by the Texas Transit Association for this prestigious award.”
VIA Metropolitan Transit provides public transportation services to 13 cities in the Greater San Antonio Region and the unincorporated areas of Bexar County. VIA operates seven days a week on 90 routes and provided 41 million rides across the region in 2015. VIA’s mission is to enhance the community’s quality of life by providing regional and customer-oriented public transportation that is dependable, cost-effective and enticing to more riders. VIA’s AAA bond rating reflects the organization’s sound management and financial practices. Visit www.VIAinfo.net for more information. Follow us on www.Facebook.com/VIATransit, www.Twitter.com/VIA_Transit, and www.Instagram.com/VIATransit.