A Transportation Network Company's Surprising Early Adopters: Seniors

Lauren Schwartzberg reports on the cohort of early adopters driving the success of the transportation network company called Via, described as a "mix between Uber and the city bus" operating in New York City.

Schwartzberg provides the background: 

"In September 2013, [Via] began by offering rides between the Upper East Side and midtown for $4. It’s since upped that to $5 for a ride anywhere between 110th Street and the southernmost tip of Manhattan but spent almost no money on advertising — the founders were concerned about keeping up with what they assumed would be massive demand."

To prevent getting oversaturated with demand, Via has deliberately stayed off the radar, except, according to Schwartzberg one group: "senior citizens: 27 percent of Via riders are over 55, with 10 percent of those checking in at older than 65 (only 30 percent are between 25 and 34)."

The article goes on to provide testimonials from some of the TNC's users—all female and all varying in age from 65 and 86.