Metro has made emergency adjustments to its Mobility on Demand (MOD) program as a result of the COVID-19 crisis in order to ensure there are transportation options for people who need them most during this difficult time. Service zones are shown above.

• Beginning Wednesday, March 25, MOD service will be expanded to accommodate essential trips for riders who need to access services such as grocery stores, pharmacies and medical centers. Metro’s partner, Via, will provide trips anywhere in their respective service zones — and not just to transit stations. This will allow anyone traveling within the El Monte, North Hollywood and Compton zones to reach essential destinations.
• Beginning Thursday, March 26, Via is discontinuing shared rides and shifting to private rides in support of social distancing. Riders can bring along one additional rider. Drivers have been instructed to follow guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and wipe down all vehicle surfaces before driving, and as often as possible during their shifts.
• By Friday, March 27, Via will also add service to essential service locations that are near but not yet in their current zones. The additional services will connect several critical locations in each area.

Examples of expanded services and access points within Via’s specific zone areas include:

COMPTON ZONE

• St. Francis Medical Center
• Nickerson Gardens Housing Project
• Walmart Neighborhood Market at Del Amo and Avalon
• Food for Less on Cherry Avenue and South Street
• Food for Less and Target on Cherry Avenue and the 91 Freeway
• Smart and Final on Del Amo and Susana Road
• Vons and Vons Pharmacy on California and 45th Street
• Trader Joes on San Antonio and Long Beach Boulevard
• The CVS on Atlantic Ave & E 46th St
• The Aldi on Atlantic Ave & E 46th St
• Smart & Final on Atlantic Ave & E 45th St
• Rite Aid on Atlantic Ave

NORTH HOLLYWOOD ZONE

• Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
• CVS on Oxnard and Lankershim
• Superior Grocers on Lankershim and Erwin
• Jon’s International Marketplace on Magnolia and Laurel Canyon
• Food for Less on Lankershim and Strathern
• Trader Joe’s on Riverside and Talofa
• Kaiser on Lankershim and Sherman Way

EL MONTE ZONE

• Kindred Hospital Baldwin Park
• Walmart Supercenter on Rush and Walnut Grove
• Hoa Binh Rosemead Supermarket
• San Gabriel Superstore
• Good Fortune Superstore
• Albertsons on Live Oak Avenue and Tyler
• CVS on Garvey Ave
• Walgreens on San Gabriel Blvd
• CVS on Puente Ave

Is there somewhere near a Via zone that you need to get to for an essential trip? Let us know and we’ll see if we can add it.

Hours of service will remain the same — from 6 a.m. to midnight on weekdays. Service on weekends is still scheduled to begin in April and will operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays in all three zones. The rides are free. 

New to Via? Riding is easy:

STEP 1

• Download the Via app from your smart phone’s app store.
• Sign up to create your account.
• If you need extra assistance, toggle the “Wheelchair Accessible” option in your account profile.
• Set your pick-up location and add your destination and address.

OR

• Call 1-833-917-0697 to book a ride over the phone. Translation services are available as well.

STEP 2

• Via will match you with a driver in the area. On average, most passengers will have a wait time of 10 minutes or less. Once the ride is booked, the app will show you the driver’s name, the car’s make and model, the license plate number and the driver’s expected time of arrival.
• After you book a ride, the app will display the pick-up location.
• Via is a corner-to-corner service, so your actual pick-up spot may differ from where you asked to be picked up.
• Once the driver arrives, be sure to double-check that you’re boarding the correct vehicle by verifying the vehicle’s license plate number and asking the driver’s name.

STEP 3

• Enjoy the ride! Each Via trip and driver will be different.
• Once you’ve reached your destination, you’ll have the opportunity to rate your driver on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.
• If you experience a problem with Via’s mobile app or run into other issues, please contact Via’s customer service line at +1 833-917-0697 or email Via at  losangelesriders@ridewithvia.com.

This expansion of service is being offered as a part of Via and Metro’s existing partnership. Metro’s partnership with Via began a year ago and was designed for those who have difficulty using other ride-hailing services because they don’t have smartphones, can’t afford other ride hailing services or use wheelchairs. A goal of the partnership is to extend the benefits of on-demand services to a wider audience and to make it easier for riders to connect with the Metro system.

Since launching, the service has provided more than 100,000 rides and exceeded its key goals in terms of rides per week, rides per driver hour, wait times and customer satisfaction. More than 1,000 riders have used Via’s call-in center, indicating that people without smartphones are using the service. The service has also provided more than 1,300 rides to passengers requiring special assistance or wheelchair accessibility.