Catching a ride to the local GO station via a smartphone app isn’t that far-fetched.

York Region Transit will launch an on-demand pilot project at the end of January to test out a service model that could, depending on the success of the pilot, be launched in a number of municipalities across the region, according to York Region transit operations director Fabrizio Guzzo.

“This pilot project is a piece of a greater operation plan to roll out on-demand service across the region,” he said. “We identified Aurora as a pilot location because there is limited parking and a high level of ridership.”

Parking woes at the Aurora GO station, located on Wellington Street East, has been an issue for years. As ridership continued to grow, the multi-level parking garage could not keep up with demand. Many who don’t arrive early won't find a parking spot before getting onto the train.

The issue has wreaked havoc in the surrounding neighbourhoods in recent years as commuters spill onto residential streets and the Town Park to leave their vehicles before catching the GO train.

This pilot project might be one piece of the solution.

Guzzo explained that pilot participants would download the YRT on-demand app onto their mobile device. This app would allow the user to request a ride to the Aurora GO station up to one hour before needed, and the user can see the location of the vehicle that will be picking them up in real time alongside a countdown to arrival.

“We are utilizing sedans as the vehicles in the pilot and it will pick participants up curbside and drop them at the GO station,” he added. “In the future we may use buses, but not at this particular time.”

Travellers can request rides between 5 and 9:30 a.m. and 4 to 6:31 p.m., and regular YRT rates apply, which can be paid via PRESTO, YRT pay app, tickets, passes or exact change.

YRT staff were actively increasing awareness and seeking participants on the GO station platform in December and this month, Guzzo said. There were 40 to 50 eager participants, but after an analysis of geography, times and other factors, there are 16 participants in the pilot.