Chesapeake and Hampton are the newest cities in the region offering on-demand ridesharing via Hampton Roads Transit.
The pilot programs in these cities launched Jan. 12.
“Think of it as kind of a service like Lyft or Uber, but really with the reliability and price point of public transit,” HRT spokesperson Thomas Becher said.
Instead of waiting for the bus, people in those cities can request a ride within 15 minutes through the HRT OnDemand App or by calling (757) 859-8294.
Professional drivers operate the HRT-branded minivans, Becher said.
The service runs only within specific zones, which the cities and HRT worked together to determine.
Hampton’s microtransit zone includes NASA Langley, the Hampton Roads Convention Center, the Hampton Aquaplex, Langley Speedway and some of the shopping areas like Peninsula Town Center, Becher said.
In Chesapeake, the microtransit zone covers the city’s “largest and growing employment and entertainment centers,” city spokesperson Elizabeth Vaughn said. It includes Summit Pointe and greater Greenbrier, City Hall, the DMV, Chesapeake Regional Hospital, Walmart Supercenter and Chesapeake City Park, she added.
Newport News and Virginia Beach launched pilot rideshare programs last year. Newport News decided to continue it this year.
The microtransit zone in Newport News is located in the northern district of the city, where many people live but don’t have access to public transportation, said Jody Saunders, the communications director for Newport News. Destinations within the zone include the city’s Amtrak station, City Center and Christopher Newport University.
“No bus service runs in the neighborhoods,” she said. “The goal was to increase bus ridership from these neighborhoods.”
The cities fund the programs with help from grants through the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
It costs riders $2 one way to go anywhere within the same zone. People use the service to get to popular destinations, like hospitals, shopping centers and work, or use it as a connecting service to get to a bus station, Becher said.
“It makes the first and/or last leg of a trip more convenient and more accessible to more people,” Vaughn said. “Microtransit also provides a new way for people to get around and connect with their community, especially for those who don’t own a car, don’t want to drive, can’t obtain a driver’s license or are interested in learning about public transportation.”
Between October 2024 and November 2025, more than 49,000 people used HRT’s OnDemand rideshare service in Newport News.
The service runs Monday through Friday 5 a.m.-9 p.m. and between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on the weekends.
