The city of Altamonte Springs and Uber have teamed up to boost SunRail’s ridership and also save people money.
It’s being touted as the first of its kind pilot project in the U.S.
Beginning March 21, the city will pay 20 percent of a person’s Uber bill if the customer’s trip starts and ends within the city limits.
If a person takes an Uber to the Altamonte Springs SunRail station, the city will pay 25 percent of the person’s bill.
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Riders will have to enter the promo code "Altamonte" to gain access to the discount.
The goal is to reduce congestion on the roads and put more people on SunRail, the city said.
Altamonte Springs Mayor Patricia Bates said SunRail is struggling to get riders and this program should help.
"People will not use SunRail unless it's convenient to get to SunRail and to get to their homes, so this takes them door to door," Congressman John Mica said.
Officials said Uber agreed to do background checks on drivers to make sure riders are safe.
The city manager of
Altamonte
Springs told Eyewitness News the city had nearly $1 million dollars set aside years ago to start Flex, a bus system where people could call for a ride. Now that the concept has died that money will go toward the
Uber
partnership. Partners also contributed private funding.
“Through working with the private sector and looking at privatization options, this project will cost a third of what Lynx projected the FlexBus to cost. That’s a huge savings for taxpayers while putting rider options in the hands of people every day,” Altamonte Springs City Manager Frank Martz said.
The pilot program will last a year to determine what kind of impact it will have on the city’s overall mobility plan.
If the year is successful, the city will open up bidding to competition.
Cox Media Group
