Ford Motor Co. launched its Chariot shuttle service in New York City this month, making New York the fourth market for this first-/last-mile commuting solution. During typical commuting times, Chariot shuttles will travel to busy areas where people work, then bring them back at the end of the day. Each Chariot comfortably accommodates more than a dozen people and guarantees seats for every rider.
Using a smartphone app, commuters are able to access maps of Chariot’s service routes. They can then reserve a seat on the appropriate Chariot as they head toward it. Chariot is designed to be supplemental to mass transportation services, such as commuter trains and subways.
Chariot launched in New York with two preplanned routes in Brooklyn and Manhattan at $4 a ride. Ford calls this a crowd-based service. As such, commuters are encouraged to plan new routes and share them with others who might have similar commutes. When enough commuters sign up to support a new route, Chariot will service it. Ford expects to have 60 Chariot shuttles in operation by the end of the year.
In addition to New York, Ford Motor Co. operates Chariot in San Francisco, California, Seattle, Washington and Austin, Texas.
