VIA Metropolitan Transit and community leaders celebrated the launch of the agency’s sixth VIA Link Zone, located in Southeast San Antonio, on Tuesday at the Pre-K 4 SA – South Education Center.
“I’ve had a front-row seat to the incredible growth and transformation of the Southeast Side over the past few years, and I’m proud to celebrate another win for this community,” VIA Board Chair Laura Cabanilla said. “What we’re celebrating today with VIA Link is exactly the kind of service that growing communities need to sustain momentum — connecting people to opportunity, jobs, education and each other.”
VIA’s senior executive team and VIA trustees, Secretary Athalie Malone (front row center, l-r), Chair Laura Cabanilla and Vice Chair Leo Gomez helped launch VIA’s sixth VIA Link zone on the Southeast sector of San Antonio.
SERVICE BEGAN IN EARLY NOVEMBER
VIA Link Southeast began service on Nov. 3 and covers a large swath of the Southeast and East Sides, including the Brooks Transit Center and the future Eastside Transit Center.
“Every investment we make helps build a system that’s growing with our region and reflecting our priorities,” President & CEO Jon Gary Herrera said. “VIA Link Southeast is the latest investment that will make this area one of the most transit-rich in our city with mobility options that include fixed-route service, Prímo, VIA Link, VIAtrans paratransit and soon, VIA Rapid service.”
During the VIA Link Southeast launch celebration VIA President & CEO Jon Gary Herrera (left) said VIA Link gives people the freedom to choose how they move and opens doors that weren’t there before. VIA Board Chair Laura Cabanilla (right) added VIA provides an essential service and the agency must act to meet the needs of the growing region.
The 13.8-square-mile VIA Link Southeast zone operates from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, with an expected wait time of 20 minutes or better. VIA Link Southeast also includes the addition of nine new satellite stops, including one in Sandy Oaks that operates 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays.
“The implementation of this zone is just one example of the ripple effect that public transit can have,” said Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran. “In turn, the Southeast Zone will serve as a catalyst for stronger mobility and greater access, delivering benefits we can all share.”
FIRST ZONE LAUNCHED IN 2019
VIA launched what’s now known as the Naco Pass Zone as a pilot program in 2019 on the city’s Northeast Side. The agency has launched several since, including Mainland, anchored by the UT San Antonio main campus on the Northwest Side; Madla, serving Texas A&M University-San Antonio and the Toyota Manufacturing campus on the South Side; and Randolph, which includes parts of Converse and Kirby. VIA also now provides VIA Link service Downtown in an Innovation Zone that also includes service connecting UT San Antonio buildings across the center city.
Introduced as a “smart transit” solution, VIA Link is a convenient, app-based rideshare service that provides more flexible trip options, offering transit service when and where people need it, for the same regular and discounted fares across the system. The service allows VIA to offer more frequent, reliable trip options in areas where bus routes are either difficult to operate, like in suburban zones, or can be enhanced with multimodal options.