Homewood's New $1.50 Ride Service: Via Microtransit

0:00It's April 30th. Welcome in. This is Birmingham News Today, where local news meets AI. I'm Corey with the story. Homewood's rolling out a new on-demand ride service this summer to make getting around cheaper and easier. Starting July 2026 through September 2027, via micro transit will pilot here for 15 months. Rides cost just $1.50 with 75 cents for extra passengers and trips max out at 3.5 miles. The city is using this pilot to gather real data on where demand hits hardest, peak travel times, and ways to tweak the service. Mayor Jennifer Andrews says it will shape future transport choices and it's funded by the community foundation of Greater Birmingham. It's already working well in Birmingham and Mountain Brook. Riders in those spots love it, giving an average rating of 4.9 out of 5. Weight times average 12.5 minutes, with 57% heading to work or school and 33% to hospitals or pharmacies.

1:00That steady growth shows folks are relying on it for daily needs. Service runs Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You book via app, get picked up nearby, and routes adjust live to keep things quick and efficient. This could change how homewood moves, giving residents affordable options right in their pocket, keep an eye on the max transit site for updates as it. This could change how homewood moves, giving residents affordable options right in their pocket, keep an eye on the