New Boston Bus Service Uses Commuter Data To Promise Faster Ride To Work
BOSTON (CBS) - There's a new way to get to work in and around Boston starting Monday.
It's a data-driven bus service called Bridj.
Bridj crunches commuter data to determine its routes along with information from its riders. They claim this combination will cut down on commuting times by using more direct routes that are in high demand.
Bridj uses wi-fi enabled coach buses that seat 54 passengers. They are starting with just two bus routes. Both leave from Coolidge Corner in Brookline. One heads to Kendall Square in Cambridge and the other heads downtown.
The company's founder, Matthew George, said they do not want to compete with the MBTA.
"There's a spectrum between public transport and private car ownership and we think we fill a huge void in the middle," he told WBZ-TV.
"We want to be public transit and mass transportation for everybody in the fact that we can hopefully get anyone who wants to go to work there a little bit more efficiently."
Bridj wants to expand quickly, so look for more routes throughout the summer.
With more routes and more riders, the big coach buses could be replaced with smaller passenger vans to accommodate as many commutes as possible.
The cost of the ride ranges from $5 to $9 depending on the distance.
To give it a try, visit their website bridj.com
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