The Free Ride Everywhere Downtown (FRED) shuttle system in San Diego is so popular that demand sometimes overwhelms the number of available shuttles. The city has redoubled its commitment to the system.
"Downtown San Diego’s 'free' shuttle service — known by the friendly acronym FRED — will get an expanded fleet that officials hope will improve the private company’s performance, after a first year when riders got a 'busy' message sometimes as much as half the time," reports Jeanette Steele.
"San Diego will spend up to $5.7 million over five years to help New York-based The Free Ride put more all-electric shuttles on downtown streets," adds Steele. "The money comes from revenue from parking meters and public garages downtown."
The article includes more details about the plans to expand the FRED system, as well as the history of The Free Ride, which was "founded in 2011 by two twentysomething entrepreneurs," and got its start "providing gratis rides around the Hamptons beach enclave in New York."
"To date, FRED has serviced 140,000 San Diego riders, with a high point of 12,500 trips in August," according to Steele.
FULL STORY: Free Ride shuttle: Riders getting "busy" signal but help on way with extra funding
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