My office just moved to the West Loop in Chicago which is a bit of a trek for me on public transit. Took a Via this morning due to their $2.95 to/from West Loop promo and was not disappointed. The car arrived on schedule, took a clear route that made sense, and I was at work within 35 minutes of leaving my house. When its been averaging 50 minutes on the CTA, which costs me $2.50, Via is a STEAL.
Also, knowing that the drivers are paid hourly instead of per ride makes me feel better about this company in general. My biggest issue with UberPool is that if you order one and dont end up getting paired with someone else, the driver has essentially lost money while you get a super cheap ride. My Via today didnt end up matching me with anyone, but knowing my driver was making his same hourly rate regardless gave me more of a peace of mind. I would take Via over UberPool any day.