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The city of Cedar Park will launch a two-year pilot program to subsidize on-demand rides in the city after the City Council approved it at its Dec. 18 meeting.
The program is set to launch April 1, said Randy Skinner, assistant director of transportation for the city of Cedar Park.
How it will work
The microtransit pilot program consists of two main elements: wheelchair-accessible rides for residents with disabilities through zTrip and subsidized Uber rides for able-bodied people, Skinner said.
The program will be open 24/7 to anybody riding within the Cedar Park city limits and to/from CapMetro’s Lakeline Station.
Uber riders will pay $5 per ride, then the city subsidy will cover up to $10 per ride. The user will pay any additional cost. Each user may take up to 10 subsidized trips per month.
The $10 credit will automatically be added to qualifying rides, according to Rick Koch of TRIPPP Consulting, the company administering the pilot program.
Riders who use wheelchairs will also pay a $5 base fee per ride. Those rides will be booked through zTrip, which offers wheelchair-accessible vehicles. The city will cover up to $46 per trip, including mileage and fees for wheelchair-accessible vehicle availability.
The background
The City Council began exploring ways to expand public transit in Cedar Park in July 2024 and decided to proceed with a microtransit pilot program in October 2024.
After receiving proposals from different companies, the council selected TRIPPP Consulting to administer the program in September of this year.
TRIPPP Consulting was awarded a contract for up to $800,000 over two years to conduct the pilot program.
Similar programs exist in other cities in the Austin metro area, including Round Rock, Pflugerville and Kyle.
What they’re saying
Several city leaders expressed enthusiasm about the project. Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin said he sees the program as a major step toward addressing the challenges senior citizens face in getting around Cedar Park.
Council member Mel Kirkland was the lone vote against the pilot program.
“The way you have this set up, you’re basically opening this up to anyone that’s in Cedar Park, not tax-paying citizens,” Kirkland said during the meeting. “So the subsidies are being paid for by tax-paying citizens, but anybody within Cedar Park’s geo-grid can utilize this service.”
Council member Anne Duffy said she is excited about the program.
“We are very concerned about the fiscal part of it, and we are very intentional about how we’re utilizing tax dollars, but we’re in a good position, and I’m excited about this," Duffy said.
