Flexible Fleets is an initiative that uses on-demand transportation services to move around the region. Riders can use these services to reach their destinations or to connect to high-speed transit. The goal of this initiative is to provide affordable transportation choices for all users while helping to reduce air pollution and congestion. Flexible Fleet categories include:
- Micromobility: Small, low-speed, vehicles such as e-scooters, bikes, and other electric rideables.
- Rideshare: Carpool, vanpool, and pooled ridehailing services such as uberPOOL and Lyft Shared.
- Micro-Transit: Multi-passenger shuttles that can carry up to 15 passengers and provide rides within a defined service area.
- Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) Shuttles: low-speed electric vehicle shuttles used for short trips up to three miles. NEVs typically operate on a fixed route or an on-demand route, where the NEV shuttle can be hailed with a smartphone app.
- Ridehailing: On-demand services that link the passenger with available drivers, such as Uber, Lyft, and taxis.
- Last Mile Delivery: Driverless vehicles, e-bikes, drones, and bots will deliver a range of goods from a distribution hub to individual consumers, businesses, or smart lockers at Mobility Hubs.
As these services are typically reserved through a mobile app, SANDAG and other public agencies are working with the private sector to ensure there are options for people without a smartphone or credit card.
In efforts to implement the 2021 Regional Plan, SANDAG developed a Flexible Fleets Implementation Strategic Plan. The plan identifies priority Flexible Fleet service areas and provides a detailed roadmap for deploying services in a way that helps make the region more accessible, equitable, and environmentally friendly.
Flexible Fleet Providers
In 2022, SANDAG started a process to select service providers to design, deploy, operate, and monitor on-demand flexible fleets throughout the region. Contracts with these providers are available to local jurisdictions and transit agencies. SANDAG's Board of Directors has approved $25 million across all categories of service over a three-year term beginning in 2023 with two additional one-year options.
Anticipated contracts include:
- Lyft Bikes & Scooters, LLC – Micromobility
- Via Transportation – Micro-Transit
- Circuit Transit – Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) Shuttles
- Lyft, Inc. – Ridehail
- Getaround – Carshare
As we implement the Regional Plan, SANDAG anticipates a variety of partnerships including healthcare, education, non-profits and local jurisdictions. This process for Flexible Fleets services will encourage a competitive procurement process, provide consistent customer experiences for Flexible Fleets services, and help develop contracts to support data sharing and planning needs.
Please contact flexiblefleets@sandag.org for more information.
