The mayor’s email newsletter tonight contained a fair amount more detail on NewMo 2.0 – the on-demand last mile public transport system that will be rolled out in the coming weeks ….

NewMo 2.0
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Any resident, anyone who works in Newton, and any visitor here will be able to book a $2 on demand, shared ride to connect to a number of MBTA Green Line or Commuter Rail stations and two village centers – Newtonville and Newton CenterĀ – as well as to Needham Street and the Wells Avenue Office Park area.
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NewMo 2.0 (Newton in Motion) will dramatically expand access to and from public transit for all residents who live in any village and neighborhood of the City as well as for visitors across Newton.
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We had hoped to pilot NewMo 2.0 next week. But, the driver shortage we’re seeing across the ride share industry (including at Uber and Lyft) are affecting our transportation partner, Via. Via is still in the process of vetting, hiring and training more drivers. Stay tuned; we’ll let you know the start date which hopefully will be in the next few weeks.
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Once we get going, NewMo 2.0 will operate Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
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Trips may begin or end anywhere in the City provided one leg begins or ends at a designated stop or service areas. These include:
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  • Newton Center Langley Lot/Newton Centre Green Line,
  • Newtonville Commuter Rail Station,
  • Chestnut Hill Green Line Station,
  • Newton Highlands Green Line Station,
  • Needham Street,
  • Wells Avenue area (includes the Wells Avenue Office Park, UMass Mt Ida, JCC, Nahanton Woods Condominiums).
  • Needham Heights Commuter Rail Station.
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We hope the pilot brings a lot of riders so we can expand soon to more locations in Newton.
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How does NewMo 2.0 work?
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A Newton resident traveling back from Boston on the T could book a ride on NewMo 2.0 to get picked up at the Newton Centre Langley Lot/Green Line, Chestnut Hill Green Line or Newton Highlands Green Line stations and get a ride to their home anywhere in Newton. Likewise, they could be picked up at their home and taken to any one of the seven NewMo 2.0 stops.
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Another example is an employee at a Newton restaurant or business who may live along the Green Line or Commuter Rail line will also be able toĀ book a ride to get to and from their job in Newton to one of the designated MBTA Commuter Rail or T stations.
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To be clear, while NewMo 2.0 will not do drop offs and pick ups at every commuter rail and T station, people anywhere in Newton can get a ride to and from the Green Line or to the Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester line or the Needham line.
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NewMo 2.0 builds on the excellent work of Newton’s Senior Services staff and Transportation Planners who first piloted the NewMo 1.0 system for our older residents in 2019, providing more than 25,000 rides since inception. As these riders know, the driver shortage is also sometimes causing longer wait times for rides on the current service. Please bear with Via as it continues to hire more drivers.
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The City of Newton’s partner is Via, a leader in transit. Via’s system rivals the convenience of a personal car with a reduced environmental impact. It’s an ā€œon demandā€ service with riders booking through a smartphone (or a phone call) in real time. It’s also a ā€œshared rideā€ service; Via’s computer system optimizes the routes and directs the driver to pick up and drop off passengers along the way.
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NewMo 2.0 helps reduce traffic congestion with shared rides, and importantly, provides a ride for that crucial ā€œfirst and last mileā€ to public transit stations.
The Via vehicles will be hybrid to start, with an eye toward an electric fleet that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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All residents and visitors to Newton can start to sign-up on the NewMo 2.0 app starting this Friday, June 25. Download the NewMo app (search for NewMo Newton) on a smartphone or call 617-655-8019 to get started. Those without access to a smartphone can both sign-up and book a ride by calling 617-655-8019.
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Rides will cost $2 per trip and will be paid for directly through the app. Those without a smartphone can pay using a credit card when they call. (A credit card can be left on file.) The first five rides for each user will be free. Qualifying low-income residents can receive discounted rides for 50 cents.Ā To see if you qualify for discounted rates,Ā contact Nicole Freedman, at[email protected].Ā 
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The service will offer a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
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Are you already using NewMo? Our older residents will continue to receive the same service as they have previously.
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NewMo offers local businesses and organizations the option to cover the cost of rides for their members (e.g. employees, students, staff, visitors, etc). Organizations can set parameters such as a custom geographical area or time of day.Ā For more information on community partnerships, email to [email protected].Ā 
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This is an exciting, bold step forward. The City will review real-time data and rider feedback to continually adjust the pilot program to meet the needs and travel patterns of Newton residents and visitors.
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Funding for the first year of pilot operations totals $475,000. It comes from MassDOT’s Workforce Transportation Grant and the MPO’s Community Connections Program.Ā Our goal isĀ to continue fundraising from businesses and organizations to sustain and expand NewMo 2.0. We hope to have additional service hours, additional destinations, and fully electric vehicles.
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For more information or questions, visit newtonma.gov/Newmo, email NewMo customer support at [email protected],or call Via at 617-655-8019.