The Times reports that a new £50million “Uber for the countryside” is being launched by councils to help rural populations who have become more isolated due to declining bus services

The initiative, backed by the Department of Transport, is intended to tackle rural and suburban isolation and support local businesses.

Rather than expect passengers to wait at a bus stop according to a fixed timetable, they will be able to choose the service to suit their needs.

Passengers can be picked up from home in minibuses and can book via an app, with tickets costing a little more than a bus fare.

The trade-off between convenience and price is performed by an algorithm.

The first passenger to book through the app is given a guaranteed departure and arrival time.

Other passengers are accepted if they can be accommodated without delaying the first ones.

Jack Holland, head of UK business development at Padam Mobility, which provides the technology platform, said the viability of demand responsive transport might in future depend on pricing the rides close to the cost of a minicab. “At present, there is no surge pricing, there is no pricing on demand. You can’t do that under current legislation.”

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The Times - ‘Uber’ minibuses open route out of rural isolation
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