This autumn, Ruter has tested a new mode of transport in Oslo and is now expanding it: With “Pick up” you can be picked up where you want and driven to where you are going. – Customers want new, more flexible solutions. Much of the feedback is that the scheduled offer for some types of journeys becomes inflexible, says Johan Gjærum. He is acting director of market and business development at the collective company Ruter. If “Fetch” is available where you are, you’ll see it in the Router app. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news An adult must leave with a five-note for a “Pick up” trip. – Won’t this be a taxi solution financed by Ruter? – No, this is a ride-sharing service. You have to go to a stop and want to share the vehicle with others going the same way. Taxi is a service for one person in one car, which will take you exactly where you are going, says Gjærum. The scheme applies in an area east of Akerselva, from Nydalen to Rødtvet, and between Kjelsås and Etterstad. The journey must start and end within this area. Not all over the city, but there are only certain places in the city where you can be driven from door to door, almost, with “Pick up”. Exactly where you can see on the map in this article. – There are many areas we could launch this in. But this area covers a large population, over 120,000 live in this area. There is a relatively young population and there are many public transport users, says Gjærum. Transport councilor Marit Vea (V) and director Johan Gjærum i Ruter were waiting to be picked up by a “Hent” car. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news Ruter has set aside NOK 20 million for “Hent” in 2025. – Could that money have been used to improve the current bus service? – If we look at Ruter’s total budget, then 20 million is a relatively small sum. We believe it is important that at the same time as we use and strengthen the existing offer, that we also work to further develop and look at new types of solutions for the future, says Gjærum. This is “Pick up” “Pick up – public transport on order” is what Ruter calls its new offer. With Hent, Ruter picks you up where you are and drives you where you’re going, they write online: – If several people have booked a trip in the same direction, we’ll take them on the road. You search for, book and pay for the journey in the Ruter app. The pick-up locations are “virtual stops” where Ruter knows that it will be fine for the vehicle to stop. “Collect” can be used on weekdays at 15-22 and on weekends at 10-20. “Pick up” is available within a limited area in Oslo: east of Akerselva, from Nydalen to Rødtvet, and Kjelsås to Etterstad. The journey must start and end within this area. “Pick up” costs NOK 50 for adults per travel and NOK 25 for children/youths/honours. You must be over 15 years old to book the trip. Hoping for less car use The City Council’s aim in Oslo is for more people to travel by public transport, walk or cycle. – The car has some characteristics that public transport does not have. You get more from door to door and at times that suit you. So we hope that this offer can reduce the need for a private car, says city councilor for the environment and transport, Marit Vea from Venstre, about “Hent”. They also have faith in the scheme across the city limits. - It is precisely this type of solution that we will need in places where you never manage to fill up a large bus anyway, says Håkon Snortheim, county councilor for transport in Akershus. Håkon Snortheim (H) is county councilor for transport in Akershus. Photo: hallgeir Braastad / news The county council recently put forward a budget proposal for next year in which other Ruter offers fail, such as the Reis discount. – What kind of future does an offer like this have in Akershus when other offers expire? – We are drawing up a budget that will maintain public transport services at the current level. It is not a given that the way we operate public transport today will be the solution forever, says Snortheim. Published 28.10.2024, at 18.45 Updated 28.10.2024, at 18.59
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Hent is launched on Wednesday, Ruter will drive people from door to door – Greater Oslo
