Ford Launches Chariot Ride Service in London

Ford Motor Co. has expanded its Chariot shuttle business to London, the first city outside the U.S. to offer the on-demand service.

Using 14-passenger Ford Transit vans, Chariot takes riders between their homes and area transit hubs. The service targets under-served areas to help city dwellers with the first- and last-mile of their commute.

The London service is launching with four fixed routes to complement existing public transportation service. Users are charged £2.40 ($3.33) per ride or can buy a monthly pass that cuts the rate by one-third.

The London fleet will consist of 14 vans that will be able to use the city’s bus lanes. Users can schedule a ride and monitor a vehicle’s location via a smartphone app. The service initially will be limited to high-volume hours during weekdays.

Ford acquired Chariot in 2016 and now operates the service in five U.S. cities: Austin, Tex.; Columbus, Ohio; New York City; San Francisco and Seattle. Several other locations in the U.S. and overseas are expected to be added soon.