5 Seminole County cities begin 1-year Uber pilot program

Five Central Florida cities are working together on a one-of-a-kind project to make it easier for residents to use Uber to get to SunRail stations and other destinations.
Friday Lake Mary, Longwood, Maitland and Sanford joined the City of Altamonte Springs in providing discounts on Uber trips that begin and end in each respective city. The discount is 25 percent for trips that begin or end at a SunRail station and 20 percent for all other trips. The new plan goes into effect today and Uber users will start seeing the discounts immediately.
The cities have established a Municipal Mobility Working Group to collectively evaluate how ride-sharing technology can be incorporated into their mobility plans both in the short term and the future. The pilot project for each city runs through July of 2017. The cities will also explore the feasibility of offering discounts on Uber trips that go through two or more of the participating cities.
“Having five neighboring cities involved in this pilot project will allow us to better measure the impact that it has on our efforts to help people get from point A to point B and make it easier and more cost effective for people to use SunRail,” said Frank Martz, Altamonte Springs City Manager.
A recent study by the American Public Transportation Association found that:
• The more people used shared modes of transportation (like Uber), the more likely they are to use public transit, own fewer cars and spend less on transportation overall.
• Shared modes of transportation complement public transit, enhancing urban mobility.
• Shared mobility will continue to grow in significance and the group urges collaboration between public agencies and the private sector.
In addition to boosting SunRail ridership, the option of discounted Uber trips eliminates worry over finding parking at popular venues, allows individuals who can’t drive the ability to get around each city and provides solutions to urgent situations such as car repair, health care, etc.
Utilizing the discount is easy:
• DOWNLOAD the Uber app from the Google Play Store or iTunes App Store.
• OPEN the Uber app and select the Promotions option from the menu.
• TAP Set Pickup Location.
• SELECT Promo Code at the bottom of the screen.
• ENTER your city location in the promo code field; for example 'ALTAMONTE', ‘LAKE MARY’, ‘LONGWOOD’, ‘MAITLAND’ or ‘SANFORD’.
• SLIDE the icon to the city option
• ENTER the destination by tapping the plus icon on the pickup address box (Android) or the box behind the pickup address (iPhone).
• TAP the Request button to submit your trip.
“Uber is excited to be a part of these innovative public-private partnerships, helping extend the reach of the existing public transportation infrastructure and offering the residents of Central
Florida additional transportation options,” said Christine Mitchell, General Manager of Uber Orlando.
“Our citizens understand that mobility is all about having options. We are delighted to join with our neighboring cities to give our residents and businesses an innovative approach to getting around Lake Mary. People can now ride Uber at a discounted price - which will encourage usage - and provide an important transportation option for all our stakeholders,” said Mayor
David Mealor.
"We're really talking about transforming transportation in the region for the next 20 years," Longwood Mayor Joe Durso said. "Let's face it: Growth is not going to stop and our roads are only going to get more congested. We're trying to make it easier for people to get around our community efficiently and affordably by providing innovative options. Uber is just such an option.”
“The program provides more transportation choices for Maitland residents, local employees, and visitors. Our Maitland SunRail Station is invaluable to us and commuters will be encouraged by
the convenience offered by Uber and the forward thinking of our Municipal Mobility Working Group. Everybody wins!” said Maitland Mayor Dale McDonald.
“The Uber Pilot program will be an opportunity for Sanford to educate the public on alternative transportation opportunities and to increase ridership from our SunRail station in and around the
city. This ride sharing pilot program offers choice and convenience through technology.
Partnering with the other four cities in the Municipal Mobility Working Group shows how local governments can work together as a team providing results for our citizens here in Seminole County and the Central Florida region. We encourage our residents, business owners and visitors to take advantage of the discounts provided and to experience the ease of traveling around Sanford with Uber to attend events, dine, and shop,” said Mayor Jeff Triplett.

- Special to the Herald