There’s no doubt that the New York City metro is one of the most efficient transit systems in the world, connecting all of the five major boroughs 24-7-365. But as connected as the NYC metro is, there’s another mode of transportation that many NYC residents are turning to Dollar vans.
Blatantly visible in areas like Brooklyn, Queens, and parts of the Bronx, these small vans dish out more than 125,000 rides per day and have become a popular alternative mode of transportation. But what makes them a better choice than the metro? Here are five reasons:
Seats are guaranteed.
Riding on the metro after a long day of work doesn’t guarantee you a seat. With the limited number of chairs to the number of riders, it’s impossible for everyone to have a seat. Dollar vans pick up riders based on the capacity of the vehicle, making seating a non-issue.
They’re more comfortable.
There are no pungent smells, or buskers “entertaining” you. Choosing a dollar van means getting to your destination in comfort. Dollar vans can typically carry 15-20 passengers at any given time and are rarely overcrowded.
They provide more reach.
Although the metro is accessible to many in the city, it doesn’t reach communities in the outer boroughs. Dollar vans fill the void of operating in neighborhoods with limited access to the metro. A great example of this was during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Dollar vans were still on the road when the metro stopped functioning, as it couldn’t get past the fallen trees from the storm. During this time, dollar vans drove as deep as Nassau County and into other distant parts of Queens.
Riding is investing in the community.
Dollar Van drivers are part of the community they serve. This gives them the opportunity to customize the needs of their riders. This means observing how residents in specific neighborhoods travel on a daily basis or deviating off the main route to drop-off elderly passengers in front of their apartment buildings, etc. Due to thousands of daily riders on the metro, customization for each rider is impossible.
Dollar vans also give the drivers economic opportunities, especially when other employers aren’t hiring them. Being a Dollar van driver is a lucrative source of income, and because of the business structure, the drivers get the benefit of being their own boss.
They complement the MTA Metro
Do dollar vans exist to compete against the metro? Absolutely not! Dollar vans may have some competitive advantages over the metro, however, its purpose is to complement the metro by reaching where the metro does not. Many times this means simply getting riders closer to a metro stop. The fact is, it gives riders and drivers additional travel options throughout the city. One thing dollar vans and the metro have in common is that they serve the people of New York!
Dollaride is committed to improving transportation in your community by bringing cutting-edge technology to operators, drivers, and passengers throughout the dollar van industry. Our mobile platform digitizes dollar van operations and strategically complements the MTA service. Join the movement as we COMBINE TRANSPORTATION AND OPPORTUNITY WITH DOLLARIDE!
