Commissioners approve Uber pilot program, but not without hesitation

Commissioners approved in a 4-1 vote Monday a pilot program that would subsidize Uber rides within the City of Sanford for one year.
The program is aimed to cut down on traffic and encourage ridership on SunRail and will begin July 1. On Monday, Mayor Jeff Triplett also noted that if the city encouraged the rideshare program parking downtown could also be less of an issue.
The terms of the pilot program state that anyone who requests an Uber ride that starts and ends within city limits will receive a 20 percent discount, up to $25. The city will pay the remaining 20 percent.
Additionally, any rides that start or end at the SunRail station will receive a 25 percent discount, up to $25. Once again, the city will pay the remaining 25 percent.
The program is modeled after a pilot program implemented in Altamonte Springs in late March. Sanford commissioners expressed an interest and heard a presentation from Altamonte’s city manager earlier this month.
However, during the discussion Monday, commissioners had concerns over the agreement with Uber, and how Uber would be held accountable. Triplett noted he was worried about their record-keeping and how much the city would end up paying. Uber has not agreed to share its ridership statistics.
City Manager Norton Bonaparte said he shared the mayor’s concerns about making sure Uber was honest about their billing.
“It’s a matter of trust,” said Bonaparte. “It’s a concern. How do we validate the bill that we get?”
Additionally Bonaparte noted the contract with Uber was not ideal, but the city attorney had looked it over.
“It is an agreement that – if we were to craft – would look different. But, it’s doable,” he said.
The city attorney also noted that if there was any violation of the agreement the city would have 30 days to notify Uber, and if the problem wasn’t corrected the agreement would be nullified. If there are no violations, the city is dedicated to complete the full year of the pilot program.
Estimates have the cost of the program anywhere between $36,000 and $72,000 depending on usage. However, the agreement does not place a cap on costs to the city.
Bonaparte said these funds will come from the city’s reserve, however they may seek out business sponsorships in the future to help with the costs.
The pilot program passed in a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Randy Jones dissenting.
As part of the agreement a “Municipal Mobility Working Group” was also created that encourages the cities in Seminole County participating in similar programs to meet and share information as the program progresses.

- Rachel Delinski, Herald Publisher/Editor, RDelinski@MySanfordHerald.com