Camden residents can now travel around the city for just $2 a ride

Camden residents can now travel around the city for just $2 a ride.

At a news conference Thursday, Dana Redd, president and CEO of Camden Community Partnership, a private nonprofit dedicated to the city’s urban redevelopment, announced the launch of the Camden Loop, a new minivan rideshare service that lets travelers use an app to request rides within Camden’s city limits.

“The goal is to create a public transportation system that is as convenient and comfortable as riding in a car, but as affordable and sustainable as taking the bus,” said Eric Gardiner, director of East Coast partnerships for Via, a transportation technology company.

The $2 ride is slightly more expensive than a $1.60 NJ Transit bus trip within Camden, but the new program will allow riders to be picked up and dropped off closer to their desired location, on their own schedule.

The program is the result of a partnership between Via, the state of New Jersey, and Camden Community Partnership, which in 2021 commissioned a study that identified transportation as a barrier for residents seeking access to employment.

Then, Camden Community Partnership secured $2 million in funding from the state and partnered with Via to launch the rideshare service. An additional $4.2 million in state funding has been allotted to Camden Loop for the coming fiscal year, according to Redd.

Camden Loop soft-launched last month, with about 3,000 rides since June 13. The top destinations for travelers were grocery stores, transit centers, affordable housing, and education buildings, said Via’s Sara-Jessica Dilks.

“This service is more than just transportation,” said Tameeka Mason, a local resident who doesn’t drive, and has been using the service. “It is a pathway to accessibility, affordability, and an improved quality of life.”

Residents can download the Camden Loop app — which is available both in English and Spanish — to order a ride. The system uses an algorithm to match riders with a driver and other passengers heading on a similar route. The service can be requested for anywhere within the Camden city limits as well as the NJ Transit Cherry Hill station. Rides are available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Camden Loop currently has five minivans running in Camden, and the majority of drivers have been hired locally, with a starting rate of $20 to $22 an hour. Via has launched similar programs in other areas, including in Jersey City, where rideshare minivans have been running since 2020.

“This is a national model and a model for other cities around our state that have struggled with redevelopment,” said state Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald.

Camden Loop is offering free rides for all users until July 17. In the future, monthly passes and ticket bundles will be available for purchase.