ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – Uber and the city of Altamonte Springs announced a partnership Friday that's being called the first of its kind in the United States.
The pilot project aims to integrate Uber's ride-hail technology to boost SunRail access and meet the transportation needs of the community.
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"We've really worked with the city of Altamonte Springs to figure out how they can increase mobility," Uber General Manager Christine Mitchell said.
Starting March 21, the city will offer a 20 percent discount on all Uber trips that begin and end in city limits.
Also, to encourage SunRail ridership, all trips starting or ending at the Altamonte Springs SunRail station will receive a 25 percent discount.
"If you're going to use public transportation, it has to be convenient. It has to be accessible and affordable, and that's what this does," said U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-Winter Park).
In 2015, Altamonte Springs had a partnership with Lynx Flexbus, which some called the "'Uber for public transit," but the project ultimately failed.
City leaders said they're using public funds allotted to the Flexbus project, along with private sponsorship, to fund the new Uber project.
"We're disappointed that working with public agencies didn't work out, but the fact of the matter is people still need to move," City Manager Frank Martz said. "So we kept looking for opportunities, and Uber was an excellent opportunity."
At the conclusion of the one-year partnership, data will be analyzed on the effectiveness of the program. City leaders said they will then look for another partnership, with competition from the private sector to drive prices down.