New Rideshare Service Begins in Bayside Area of Virginia Beach

Travelers in Virginia Beach will have another transit option starting Oct. 14. The City of Virginia Beach has worked with Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) to revive on-demand ridesharing in the Bayside area. 

HRT’s microtransit service offers a flexible, convenient transportation option for on-demand trips to connect to fixed-route service, such as HRT buses and The Tide light rail in Norfolk, within its 15-square-mile zone in northwest Virginia Beach. It’s a great solution for the first or last leg of a trip, before or after using a fixed transit route.  

OnDemand 

OnDemand works like other ride-hailing apps. Customers can book through the HRT OnDemand mobile app (available in the Apple Store and on Google Play) or by calling 757-979-2955. Depending on the trip, customers may ride with a certified driver or share a ride with other customers going to a nearby location. 

Free introductory fares are available to all riders during the first two weeks of service. Effective Oct. 27, fares will be just $2 per person per ride, just like HRT’s other modes of transit. Free fares are always available for qualified paratransit riders and Student Freedom Pass holders, though any traveling companions must pay the fare. Kids under age 17 ride free with a paying adult.  

HRT has secured a grant to fund the service, and in August, Virginia Beach City Council voted 10-0 to approve an ordinance authorizing a 20% match (totaling $466,000). 

Service area and operating hours 

Service will be available Mondays through Fridays from 5 a.m. until 9 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Service is available within 15 minutes of a customer’s request.  

OnDemand’s zone in northwest Virginia Beach (in parts of District 4 and District 9) connects to seven bus routes and the Newtown Road Light Rail Station in Norfolk. In addition to many shopping centers, places of worship and grocery stores, points of interest within the service footprint include: 

• Virginia Beach Town Center 
• The Pembroke Virginia Beach Treasurer’s Office 
• Sentara Leigh Hospital 
• Virginia Wesleyan University 
• The Virginia Tech Agricultural Research and Extension Center 
• ECPI University 
• The Lake Lawson & Lake Smith Natural Area 
• The Virginia Beach Health Department 
• Williams Farm Recreation Center 
• Bayside Library 
• Sandler Center for the Performing Arts 
• Princess Anne High School 

Some neighborhoods within the service area include Pembroke Manor, Aragona Village, Boulevard Manor, Hollywood, Fair Meadows, Easton Place, Pocahontas Village, Huntington, Carolanne Farms, Glenrock, Arrowhead, Fairlawn Estates, Lawson Forest, Garden Wood Park, Lake Shores, Lake View Park, and Smith Lake Terrace.  

Rides are operated solely within the zone. Customers who wish to travel beyond the service zone are dropped off within distance of a fixed route, such as an HRT bus, for further travel.  

Initial pilot program and official launch service 

HRT piloted an on-demand program in a limited area within Virginia Beach from July 2022 to February 2023. In that timeframe, customers requested more than 13,000 rides. The goal of the experiment was to explore how on-demand transportation can be used to expand the region’s access to flexible, equitable mobility, and make it easier for residents to connect with existing public transit options. 

Join City officials and Hampton Roads Transit for the launch of Virginia Beach’s micro transit rideshare service on Oct. 14. The public is invited to a kickoff event from 2-3 p.m. at Virginia Beach Town Center’s Fountain Plaza. 

For more information about HRT OnDemand, visit gohrt.com/ondemand.