Surprise, AZ., October 19, 2023 — City of Surprise neighboring cities has been honored with the Excellence in Innovation Award at WESTMARC’s 2023 Best of the West Awards with the support of RideCo WESTMARC’s Best of the West Awards is the region’s signature event celebrating outstanding contributions to the quality of life, economic development, and innovation in the West Valley. This recognition acknowledges the city’s outstanding efforts in advancing innovative microtransit services. 

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Surprise, along with neighboring cities, Avondale and Goodyear, won the Excellence in Innovation Award for their innovative WeRIDE microtransit program. Launched in April 2023, WeRIDE offers on-demand shared rides within designated service zones, similar to popular private on-demand services.

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Unlike traditional public transit stops, WeRIDE uses virtual pickup and drop-off locations strategically placed around neighborhoods, shopping centers, medical facilities, and recreational areas. This approach ensures that riders in the service zone only need to walk a short distance to reach a virtual stop, making the service highly accessible.

The WeRIDE program operates through an app, as well as through phone bookings and online. It pairs multiple passengers heading in the same direction, accommodating up to five passengers in a single vehicle. The affordability of the service, with regular adult fares at $2 per ride and reduced fares for seniors, students, veterans, and persons with disabilities, further enhances its appeal and accessibility to the community.

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RideCo's contribution to the success of the WeRIDE program has been instrumental in Surprise winning the Excellence in Innovation Award, showcasing the city's commitment to innovative transportation solutions and improving quality of life for its residents.

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About WESTMARC

WESTMARC—the Western Maricopa Coalition—is a public-private partnership of the 15 communities, the business community and the educational sector in the West Valley of the Greater Phoenix region. WESTMARC was formed in 1990 to address important issues facing the West Valley’s economic prosperity.  Through WESTMARC members' connections, collaboration and action, this region is now home to 1.8 million residents, a thriving business community, abundance of education options, and world-class sports and entertainment amenities. To learn more about WESTMARC visit https://www.westmarc.org/

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About RideCo:

RideCo is an industry leader in on-demand transit technology, enabling on-demand ridesharing for transit riders around the globe. We partner with transit agencies, municipalities, and experienced local fleet operators to design and operate on-demand transit services. Our solutions reduce travel time, decrease walking distance, and increase service frequency for riders while lowering transit agencies' cost-per-ride, reducing demand for parking, and attracting net new riders to transit systems. RideCo continuously drives new innovation and to date has been awarded U.S. Patent Nos. 10,248,913; 10,853,743; and 11,429,910. To learn more about our proprietary cloud-based platform and how it can revolutionize mobility in your city, visit www.rideco.com.

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