Via is partnering with the City of Sacramento to offer on-demand shared rides. Beginning earlier this week, residents can book a ride in real time through the Via app and get picked up in a shared Mercedes-Benz van — all as part of the city’s transit offering.

West Sacramento will be among the first cities in the world to have in place an on-demand ridesharing service that serves as a local public transit option.

Via works with cities like West Sacramento to expand their public transit infrastructure, and provide efficient, cost-effective on-demand transit solutions that are far more flexible and dynamic than traditional fixed-route systems.

“Via’s technology is reshaping how communities move around — whether it’s in large dense cities like New York or London, or innovative mid-sized cities like West Sacramento, which bring Via in because they want to offer forward-thinking on-demand solutions as part of the public transit menu,” says Daniel Ramot, co-founder and CEO of Via. “We are absolutely thrilled to join forces with the city of West Sacramento to launch the first city-wide on-demand public transit solution in the country.”

“Our partnership with Via will make ridesharing accessible to everyone, and complement other public forms of transportation. Via will help save residents time and money, and make for a cleaner more livable West Sacramento,” says West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon.