The Chula Vista Community Shuttle will begin serving seniors 55 and older on June 13 with unlimited free door-to-door electric shuttle rides through most of the Northwest Chula Vista.
A small celebration will be held at City Hall at 11 a.m. and serves as a starting point for a small parade that will trek around the Norman Park Senior Center and back. According to Councilmember Jill Galvez, who has been at the forefront of the initiative, eligible residents in the service area can use the service Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. through 7 p.m.
The program will use five electric sedans and one electric ADA transit van to provide better connections to public transit and key community destinations. The vehicles are marked with a Chula Vista Community Shuttle logo.
According to a city map, service will be offered to places north of L Street up to portions of 30th Street, and west of Interstate 805 to the waterfront. Galvez said the program will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and congestion.
Eligible riders can call for rides through a bi-lingual mobile app, phone call, or kiosks at public locations throughout the service area. Residents must download Ride Circuit onto a smartphone or tablet to call rides via the app.
Those using the app will be asked to create a user ID and password, allow the app to locate you, and enter personal information such as cell phone, gender, and birth date. The Chula Vista service map will be visible on the application. According to Galvez, riders are allowed to bring a companion or pet free of charge.
The program will be administered by the city and operated by Circuit Transit Inc., which has been running San Diego’s Free Ride Everywhere Downtown (FRED) program.
The city’s partnership with Circuit began in October 2020 when they applied for funding for an on-demand and all-electric shuttle service for the Clean Mobility Options Voucher pilot program (CMO) that provides funding for zero-emissions mobility options to under-resourced communities in California.
The Chula Vista Community Shuttle Program received a $1 million grant in June 2021 for the shuttle project as a part of the California Air Resource Board’s Clean Mobility Options Program. The Community Congregational Development Corporation (CCDC) pitched in additional grant funds of $1 million to expand the program.
The Chula Vista Community Shuttle Program will be exclusively available for those who are 55 and older in its first year. The service will open to the public with a small flat rate fare during its second year. Year three of the program will be funded entirely by the CCDC.
Galvez said the fleets may be wrapped in advertising in the future to help pay for the service.
According to the city, the service schedule will be aligned with the needs of the community and adjusted with feedback from the community and City as data from the service comes in.
Residents can click here for more information about the Community Shuttle Program.
