Several North Texas cities are turning to rideshare programs to supplement – or replace – public transit.
The programs work like other rideshare services like Uber or Lyft but are city-funded. Earlier this month, Plano, Addison, Highland Park and Frisco launched their programs in partnership with microtransit company Via.
Moniah Dailey, communications specialist with the city of Plano, said her city’s new pilot program for seniors 65 and older is performing better than expected just a few weeks after launch.
“We are kind of ahead of where I think we thought we were going to be,” Dailey told KERA.
Since it began on May 4, the new service, called Plano Rides, has completed more than 1,500 rides. The new app linked to the service has been downloaded more than 1,300 times.
“For this service and it being like a niche demographic, yeah, that's pretty successful,” Dailey said.
Currently, the Plano Rides service is free until June 4. After that, it’ll be $3 per ride, which is the average cost for the service in other North Texas cities.
The services have launched following months of debate over local public transit. While cities like Plano, Addison and Irving still have Dallas Area Rapid Transit service, the new programs aim to boost local mobility.
“I don't think we see ourselves as fully replacing public transit at all, like we see ourselves as a part, a piece of the puzzle,” said Darrel Matthews, a field manager for Via. “We're kind of like a first and last mile connection, as opposed to like a full transit option.”
Meanwhile in Highland Park, the city’s new rideshare services replace DART after residents there voted earlier this month to leave the system. DART ended its Go-Link and paratransit services as well as the Route 237 bus. One new program – Highland Park On-Demand – takes riders anywhere in town within a one-mile radius. Another service, Highland Park Access, replaces DART’s paratransit service with door-to-door transportation for eligible riders with mobility needs.
Other North Texas cities have tailored their services to the needs of residents, such as Irving’s Connector shuttle, which serves residents along two previously discontinued DART bus routes. The city also has a circulator shuttle called The Loop that transports passengers around the Las Colinas area.
“The City of Irving is a strong supporter of mass transit,” outgoing Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer said in a statement on the city’s website. “We are committed to stepping in with solutions that keep our community connected and ensure residents, visitors and commuters can continue to get where they need to go.”
Frisco’s GoZone program also launched this month in partnership with the Denton County Transportation Authority and Via.
In Addison, the newly launched Addison Orbit program is still only in the pilot phase. The city council will discuss at its meeting Tuesday whether the program should continue.
Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
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