On-Demand Ride Service Makes Eye-Catching Splash In San Joaquin County

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY (CBS13) - It's a moving piece of art designed to compete with popular ride-share services like Uber and Lyft.

San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) has rolled out a new mobile-on-demand service called Van Go!

Just like Uber has the giant "U" and Lyft has the pink mustache, the transportation service provider for San Joaquin County now has its own recognizable image.

Eight, eight-seat vans are wrapped with a replica of a famous piece of art by Dutch post-impressionist painter, Vincent Van Gogh.

"I like that RTD is keeping up with the times," said.

The van-go service is similar to the other ride-share programs. It's available on Apple's app store or Google Play store on Android.

Passengers can either call ahead or access RTD's app on their smartphone.

You can schedule a pickup from any location within one of four designated zones including Lodi, Stockton, Tracy, and Manteca.

Prior to its launch on March 25, RTD tested the service in the northern part of the county and found it was popular among shoppers, students and commuters.

It was also popular among people who didn't want to hassle with parking at special events or who needed transportation from wineries and other activities.

The service runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and 6am to 10pm on weekends. One-way fares are $4 per person and up to three friends during a promotional period. One-day tickets for unlimited rides are $10 dollars and transfers are free.