VIA earns high marks for customer service in national ranking

VIA Metropolitan Transit has earned high marks for customer satisfaction in a national ranking from the consulting firm TransPro. San Antonio's transit agency won first place among agencies nationwide for customer experience for the third year in a row, according to a VIA news release. It also placed first in the category of financial stability. ALSO READ: Converse leaders want to break up with VIA's transit system The recognition comes as VIA seeks to boost ridership by providing more frequent and reliable service, an effort it calls its Better Bus Plan. Under the Better Bus Plan, VIA has set a goal of achieving a frequency of at least half an hour on all its routes during peak hours — in other words, San Antonians could count on not having to wait more than 30 minutes for a bus, anywhere in the city. "This recognition is a testament to the momentum we're building at VIA and the trust our customers place in us," Jon Gary Herrera, the agency's president and CEO, said in a statement. "We're proud of the progress we've made and remain focused on providing safe, reliable and more frequent service that connects people to what matters most." Last year, VIA won second place in the categories of "most improved safety and security" and "most improved community value," according to the news release.