Case Study: Durham Region Transit improves regional connectivity and grows ridership with Via

Durham Region Transit unifies transit with Via and refers 28% of trip requests to fixed-route services

Durham Region Transit (DRT) faced the challenge of unifying its fixed-route, on-demand, and specialized transit services across a vast suburban and rural region east of Toronto. The agency needed a technology solution to enhance its multimodal network and ensure equitable public transit services without cannibalizing its existing fixed-route operations. They partnered with Via to implement its paratransit and on-demand software.

Via provided a solution that integrated all of DRT's services through a single rider app. A key feature, Mode Preference, ensured that on-demand services only operated in areas without fixed-route coverage, preventing service cannibalization while still providing accessible trips for specialized transit passengers across the entire region. The results were significant: 48% of trips were commingled, 28% of trip requests were referred to fixed-route services, and the service achieved a high 4.8/5 average star rating from riders. Via's technology supported the largest commingled fleet in Canada, helping DRT grow ridership and improve regional connectivity.

Durham Region Transit (drt)