Get Around Downtown shuttle in San Marcos ending operations
SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Get Around Downtown shuttle in San Marcos is hitting the brakes on its operations at the end of the month.
"I'm so sad they are stopping. Do you know why they are stopping?" asked Texas State University student Zoe Blumenshine.
The Get Around Downtown shuttle has been operating and providing free rides on the streets of downtown San Marcos since November 2022.
"In 2019, the parking advisory board started discussions about micro-transit and last mile transportation in the downtown San Marcos area and so it got discussed, and it got put on hold for a while due to COVID, and then the program with the Electric Cab of North America service got rolled out in November 2022," says Multi Modal Parking Initiatives Manager Charles Campbell.
The electric shuttle provided visitors, residents, and downtown employees a way to get around within the main street district.
Completing more than 16,000 rides, covering nearly 14,000 route miles, the shuttle held about five passengers at a time, shuttling around close to 85 passengers in an hour, and getting a ride was as easy as making a phone call.
"If you literally need to go to a bar and home, I just call him up, and he is like right there, it's so nice," says Blumenshine.
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"It was easier since it was free, no Ubers, or having to pay that fee for it or tipping them out. On a night out, it came really in handy, so you don't drink and drive or walk across the street far away because we live over there, but we don't like walking," says Texas State University student Lauren Gantt.
The city says it was given $500,000 for the program and has exhausted the funds as of this month.
"The third-party vendor that provided the service was Electric Cab of North America. The program was funded by the tax increment reinvestment zone board number five," says Campbell.
Students say the shuttle saved money and time, and they plan to use the service as often as possible while it is still in service.
"Ubers are a lot, for one minute away it can be like $15 on a busy day. So, not all college students have a ride to go anywhere. Not everyone has car money, or even a job," says Texas State University student Kamille Martinez.
"I'm definitely going to call him tonight. That is for sure, we have to say our goodbyes," says Gantt.