Cedar Park unveils branding for on-demand rides program

The program will be open 24/7 to anybody riding within the Cedar Park city limits and to or 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

City Council gave the go-ahead to launch the program in December.

The pilot program will be administered by TRIPPP Consulting for a cost of up to $800,000 over two years.

Similar programs exist in other cities in the Austin metro area, including Round Rock, Pflugerville and Kyle.

What’s next

The city will test the technology for the program in March, ahead of its scheduled launch April 2, according to Skinner.

Irwin also outlined the city’s outreach plan to raise awareness about the program. While the program will be open to everyone, initial outreach efforts will prioritize seniors, people with disabilities and those without cars, Irwin said.

She said an information page on the city’s website will launch in the coming weeks, as well as instructional videos. City communication staff will also partner with local medical providers, nursing homes and assisted living centers, and Treasure of the Hills Senior Center to spread the word.