MATA relaunch set for testing phase

Bus line doing ‘dry runs’ ahead of planned July 17 start date

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

In a long awaited update the City of West Memphis has released a tentative schedule for the beginning of “dry runs” or a testing phase of the READY! shuttle buses _rst announced back in September of 2022.

Starting next week on June 8 an initial testing phase of the app, similar to Uber or Lyft, will begin and extend for two weeks to work out all of the bugs and kinks in the app.

The City has already begun hiring drivers and a source within city hall says they are speci_cally looking for local drivers who know the area and the best routes (however all applications will be considered). There is even talk of a signing bonus and the source said that no special license will be required as drivers will be fully trained during the second phase of the rollout expected to begin on June 26.

Once the app is ready and drivers are hired and trained the project will move into physical dry runs in the last week of June and _rst week of July. If all goes well the app will be available to the public on July 13 and residents may begin booking rides for the of_cial launch date on July 17.

“It has been a long and arduous journey” said Mayor Marco McClendon, “but we have been working diligently behind the scenes. The last thing the citizens of West Memphis want to hear is more empty talk. So we waited until we had something to say.”

The new shuttles, which will bear the City of West Memphis logo, are expected to be in full service by the end of July and will cost a _xed-rate fare of $2 per ride. Each shuttle will carry up to eight passengers. The new service, which can be scheduled by phone or the VIA app available on the Google and Apple app stores, is accessible to those living with disabilities and will allow riders exibility in their local travel for errands, trips to the supermarket, medical appointments and across the bridge to downtown Memphis at the Hudson Transit Center.

One aspect that is being looked is that the rides and app will be “cashless”. Riders will be expected to pay for their transport using a credit/ debit card registered on the app itself or pre-paid cards

See MATA, page A3

Need a ride? There’s an app for that: An example of what the phone app will look like when scheduling automatic/fixed rides.

Photo by City of West Memphis MATA

From page A1

that can be loaded with credits which are expected to be available at retailers around the city such as convenience stores and supermarkets.

It is also expected that the app will feature a service that will allow residents to schedule “_xed rides”. For example if someone uses the service to go back and forth to work on Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 8am the app will allow automatic booking of these rides reducing the hassle and worry of having to schedule and wait for their ride over and over again.

“I can’t continue to let the senior citizens walk back and forth to the hospital, doctor appointments, mothers and fathers walking to work, walking to the grocery stores. We are a better city than that,” McClendon said during the initial announcement in September.