Commuter services to end on 25 January; overall exit will have been completed by the end of March
Chariot, the operator of demand-responsive minibuses primarily aimed at commuter first- and last-mile requirements, has announced that its business in London is to close as part of a worldwide shutdown.
Four routes were launched in the south of the capital around a year ago, operated with a fleet of 14 Ford Transit minibuses, and charter services were also offered.
The last day of commuter services, where users summon a minibus via app, will be 25 January. Charters will wind down over a longer period and Chariot will complete a global exit by the end of March.
Chariot is wholly owned by Ford and it also operates in six US cities. It says that it has provided more than 3m passenger journeys worldwide since it was launched.
No reason has been given for the closure, but CEO Dan Grossman says that the move has come after “significant consideration.” He adds that outstanding credit will be refunded to users.
“We are truly grateful to our commuters, enterprise customers and partners for their support over the past five years,” adds Mr Grossman. “Chariot was built on a commitment to help reduce congestion, ease the commute and improve the quality of life in cities.”
Ford’s experience with Chariot, which it purchased in September 2016 for a reported $65m, will be used to “inform its mobility efforts and design decisions for the future,” he says.
