A new pilot program will see passengers being able to avail of more affordable fares when leaving LaGuardia Airport in New York, while also contributing to the alleviation of congestion at the airport.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has joined with ride-share app Via to offer people arriving in Terminals C and D an affordable carpool option called LGA Connect for leaving the airport. They will be charged a $15 (€13.54) flat-rate fee to any destination in Manhattan, Brooklyn or Queens, and $20 (€18.06) to the boroughs of Staten Island and the Bronx, payable through the app. Rides can be booked from 8am to 1am daily, and passengers are dropped off on a corner near their desired destination to a maximum distance of two blocks.

The designated LGA Connect pick-up points will be signposted at the baggage claim area in both terminals. Passengers enter their destination in the Via app, and it matches those heading in the same direction and places them into one car. They are provided with the information to identify their vehicle and an ETA at their destination, and all rides are said to leave within 10 minutes of booking. In case of difficulty, dispatchers will be at the designated pick-up points to assist passengers.

The aim of the pilot is to reduce private vehicle trips from the airport with the introduction of congestion-reducing, convenient and affordable shared rides as part of public transit. For more information on Via, please visit here.