Ford plans ride-hailing bus service in London ~ station of gear

Hugo Griffiths 2017-11-22 10:15

Ford subsidiary Chariot applies for six route licences in capital, allowing users to book rides via a smartphone app

Ford has applied to run six ride-hailing bus services in London, a Transport for London (TfL) document has revealed.

Ford’s Chariot service is expected to run from January 2018, assuming TfL approves its plans following a public consultation. The planned services will create six new routes and will predominantly run in south London in areas such as Lambeth, Greenwich, Wandsworth and other boroughs.

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Ford bought San Francisco startup Chariot for a rumoured £50 million last year, and the company already runs several services in its hometown and four other US cities, including New York.

By logging onto the Chariot smartphone app, users are able to request a pickup, which generally takes place at a pre-existing bus stop. Although the journeys taken by Chariot’s minibuses follow predetermined routes, their drivers will be able to divert in order to avoid traffic delays.

Chariot’s pricing structure in London – assuming its plans are approved – is expected to follow its US model. That means customers will be able to buy a monthly pass or purchase rides on a pay-as-you-go basis. Monthly passes in San Francisco are priced from $69-$119 (£52-£90 approx), while $10 (£7.55 approx) of pre-paid credit will get customers two or three rides.

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The company’s US model also allows customers to buy monthly passes using “pre-tax dollars”, offering savings in the process – though plans for a UK equivalent have not yet been publicly discussed.

The planned Chariot routes have all been given distinctive names, and are as follows:

• The Battersea Bullet: from Battersea Park to Kennington station
• The Nuxley Navigator: from Carlton Road to Abbey Wood station
• The Riverside Racer: from Fulham Riverside to Holland Park station
• The Shooters Hill Shot: from Shooters Hill to North Greenwich
• The Southwark Shortcut: from St George’s Way to North Greenwich station
• The Wandsworth Wanderer: from Wandsworth riverside to Clapham Junction station

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