Shluchim landing in LGA and heading to the Ohel or Crown Heights can now get a cheaper ride, thanks to the Port Authority and ride-sharing app Via.
New Yorkers who are dismayed by the congestion and high prices while attempting to get home from LaGuardia airport may be pleased at the news that a cheaper ride-sharing option is being made available.
The New York Port Authority announced last week that it had partnered with Via, a ride-sharing service that competes with Uber and Lyft, to provide $15 shared rides from the LaGuardia airport in Queens to elsewhere in the borough as well as to Brooklyn and Manhattan.
The new service, called LGA Connect, will also provide rides to the Bronx and Staten Island for $20. The prices offered by Uber and Lyft for similar trips to destinations throughout the five boroughs are typically significantly higher.
Via says that the rides will carry four to six passengers each, with algorithms optimizing which group of passengers and route will be most efficient to avoid large detours. Waiting time before a ride’s departure should be no longer than ten minutes, and passengers will be dropped off within walking distance of their destination.
“This pilot with Via builds on two Port Authority priorities: customer experience and sustainability,” said Rick Cotton, Executive Director of The Port Authority. “Since the agency is constantly looking for ways to reduce congestion and improve the LaGuardia experience, we welcome Via’s LGA Connect service which offers LaGuardia travelers a sustainable, affordable option to reach their final destinations.”