An Uber voucher program is now available for public transportation riders impacted by the major overhaul of Miami-Dade County's Better Bus Network.
The aim of the Better Bus Network, which fully launched in November, was to streamline the bus system by improving reliability and reducing wait times, but some riders have had to walk farther or were left stranded if their usual bus route was eliminated.
After receiving significant feedback from the community, including riders and bus operators, the county offered this Uber voucher service as well as an expansion of their MetroConnect Service.
“It’s a win for the rider because they’re no longer stranded. They get on-demand access where an Uber will show up within minutes and then they can connect to the system,” said Javi Correoso, a spokesperson for Uber.
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The Uber voucher program will be available at the following routes where MetroBus service has been altered:
- The discontinued section of (old) Route 135 - Miami Lakes Drive to Golden Glades
- (Old) Route 42 - Opa-locka Tri-Rail Station to the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC) and from the MIC to Douglas Road Metrorail Station.
- Discontinued section of Route 104 - Dadeland North to Miami Dade College Kendall along SW 88th St, SW 87th Ave, SW 104th St, SW 97th Ave, SW 112th St, SW 112th Ave, SW 104th
- Discontinued section of (old) Route 2 – NW 84th St to 163rd St Mall
- Discontinued section of (old) Route 16 – NE 79th St to 163rd St Mall
- Portion of (old) Route E – Golden Glades to Aventura, including 192nd St in Sunny Isles
“The way this will work is if you’re along a bus route that was eliminated and that’s part of this program, you will get to the bus station and you will scan a QR code at the bus station, and when you scan that QR code, you’ll receive a $25 Uber voucher that will be valid for your trip to start and end alongside that route,” said Carlos Cruz-Casas, the Assistant Director of Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works
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The voucher service will be running from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Riders can request a ride through the Uber app or call 786-469-5555. Wheelchair-accessible service will be available in January. Once available, riders can call 305-871-1111 during the bus route’s service hours.
“While we celebrate that many riders have seen an increase in frequency in reliability on their routes, we understand that others have not seen the same, so we’re excited that we’re rolling out these additional measures as a testament to our commitment to transit riders so no one gets left behind,” Correoso said.
As long as riders stay within 250 feet of the specific selected bus routes, riders can get to their destinations.
Click here for further information on the Uber voucher program. For more information on the expanded MetroConnect service and upcoming community sessions, visit Better Bus SHIFTS into Gear.
