VALDOSTA — Public transit has come to the Azalea City.

Valdosta On-Demand, offering a microtransit system for the city power by the transportation company Via, got underway Tuesday, April 27, the City of Valdosta said in a statement.

Unlike a traditional bus service, Via’s system uses smaller vehicles and won’t run continuously on fixed routes; instead, customers use a smartphone app or make a phone call to summon a ride to take them where they need to go.

“We believe this microtransit, on demand model is a perfect fit for Valdosta and communities similar in size. We were able to think outside the box and partner with Via, to offer this new innovative public transit solution to residents and visitors in the City of Valdosta,” Mayor Scott James Matheson said. 

The phone app, Valdosta On-Demand, is available from the App Store or Google Play. The phone number for booking rides is (229) 441-2940.

Drivers for the service are trained, insured personnel who passed criminal background checks, the city said in a previous statement.

In dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks are required and customers without masks can be denied service, the city said.

In addition, there will be regular cleaning of the vehicles and a wellness check in the app.

The service will offer wheelchair-accessible vehicles and offer door-to-door service for people with limited mobility.

Public transit in Valdosta had long been a political hot potato. Matheson said a city transportation committee had been “chasing buses” for years.

“Bus systems are now viewed as a burden,” he said.

Buses on fixed routes would have to be running continuously throughout operating hours whether they had passengers or not, incurring increased maintenance and fuel costs, said Corey Hull, transportation and environmental director for the Southern Georgia Regional Commission in a March interview.

Valdosta On-Demand will be available 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, said Ashlyn Johnson, public information officer for the city.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.