MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — New sets of wheels are rolling into Monroe County this week, bringing along a new service — Pony Plus.
"It's similar to what we know Uber and Lyft do, so it's a short trip on demand, so as the bus says, 'Book now, ride now.' That's the idea," said Peggy Howarth, executive director of the Monroe County Transit Authority (MCTA).
For just $2 each way, the MCTA van will take riders through the Mount Pocono and Stroudsburg areas.
"They're fairly dense with population and activities, so we thought they would be a good trip generator — areas where people need to come and go," said Howarth.
"Riders don't need to make a trip to the bus stop anymore. It's as simple as pulling out your phone, getting the app, and the ride comes to you.
"What you do is you get on the app, create your registration, and then book your trip within the zone, and within 10 to 15 minutes, we expect to be there to pick you up and bring you to your destination," Richard Schlameuss, MCTA assistant director, said.
Monroe County is just one of five counties in the state to roll out a service like this, bridging the transportation gap for certain areas with five Pony Plus vehicles set to hit the road.
"What we've been trying to do is look at new ways to provide transportation. Transportation always seems to be a barrier or a challenge for people," Schlameuss said. "Our buses don't go everywhere, so it is really important for us to make sure we create that opportunity for folks to get to their appointments, go grocery shopping, meet with their friends, and create that transit availability that we didn't have before."
The Pony Plus service will run Monday through Friday, starting August 1. Get more information here.
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