St. Clair County Transit District’s VanGo service celebrates two years of flexible, efficient on-demand transportation

VanGo’s tech-enabled model allows anyone in Lebanon Township and Mascoutah Township to quickly book a shared ride to connect with transit hubs and other destinations

 

St. Clair County Transit District (SSCTD) is excited to announce its on-demand shared ride service, VanGo, is turning two years old this month. VanGo was launched in November 2020 with the mission to use technology to expand access to flexible public transit in St. Clair County, and make it easier for citizens to connect with other local transit hubs without requiring a private car to get there. The service allows anyone within its Lebanon Township and Mascoutah Township service zones to book an on-demand ride through the VanGo app (available in the App Store and Google Play) or by calling 618-268-1842. Intelligent algorithms from the service’s TransitTech provider, Via, match riders heading in the same direction into one vehicle, creating quick and efficient shared trips that provide greater flexibility than traditional public transit. VanGo directs most riders to a “virtual bus stop” a short walk away from their origin destination to minimize detours for other riders. Those who indicate special mobility needs are picked up and dropped off at the location indicated. VanGo’s popularity continues growing month over month, with a 115% increase in ridership between September 2021 and September 2022. The service has completed more than 10,000 trips since its inception. Most rides cost $3.00 each, and rides to/from the Shiloh-Scott MetroLink Station cost $1.00. Riders can pay through enabling a credit card on their app, or by giving exact change in cash to the driver.

 

What riders are saying about VanGo:

  • “What a great start to Friday. Booked a ride at 5:01 a.m., with pick up in just 7 minutes! [My driver and I] had a fun chat, and it was a stroll, not a sprint, to MetroLink. Thanks VanGo.”
  • “​​Another outstanding commute…earlier pickup means earlier arrival at light rail with less stress.”
  • “Rain or shine, VanGo gets me to where I’m going.”

For more information about the VanGo, click here.

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