Automated Trip Notification System Launches

Effective:  Feb. 4, 2014

Via’s new automated trip notification system is up and running. According to Lisa Bitzer, Via’s call center supervisor, the important new notification system has been in testing for several months and is being been launched to improve communication with riders.

“The flooding last September reinforced the importance of an automated system because it took one staff member more than six hours each day we were closed during the flooding to call riders with scheduled trips to tell them there would be no service,” Bitzer said. “This will significantly improve our communications with riders, so we want to be sure that it works as effectively and efficiently as possible when we implement it.”

How the Trip Notification System Works

1. Similar to how your doctor or dentist appointment reminder calls work, you will receive a call the night before your scheduled trip to remind you of your upcoming ride.  It will be an automated call and will say “Hello, this is Via.”
2. The automated call will announce the anticipated pick-up time of your scheduled trip for the next day.  If you have several trips scheduled, it will announce each “leg” of your trip.
3. If you want to keep the announced trip, you do not need to do anything. Your scheduled trip will occur as planned.
4. If you want to cancel the trip, follow the simple prompts to press selected numbers on your phone.
5. There will be a prompt if you want to replay the message.
6. While all riders will be a part of the notification system at the beginning, you may opt out at a later date once Via is sure the system is working as it should.
7. Via will be testing the notification module with several riders before it is fully implemented so we can work out any issues in the system and make it as user friendly as possible.

How the Trip Notification System Will Help You and Via

1. The notification provides a reminder for every rider and allows a correction to be made if the trip is not as you scheduled.
2. Riders may cancel a trip through the notification messaging if the trip is not needed.
3. If a trip is cancelled, Via now has time to fill that trip space with another trip for someone else.
4. It will help riders and scheduling staff minimize no-shows and late cancels.
5. Via will be able to provide more trips for more people and be more efficient.

What You Need to Do

1. Make sure we have recent contact information for you.  Call the Via Call Center at 303-447-9636 to check.  We need updated phone numbers and email addresses.
2. Remember, you may NOT leave a trip cancellation message on Via’s main line.
3. Remember, you may only leave a trip cancellation message on the after-hours trip cancellation line.  No other type of message can be left there.  Other messages will not be responded to.
4. The Call Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  We do not have any staff available outside of those hours.  If you have questions, please call during those hours.