City Offers Free Rides on StarMetro to Support Public Health
June 10, 2020
COVID-19 continues to pose a threat to public health. The City of Tallahassee supports the proactive efforts of residents to protect themselves, from wearing masks in public spaces to maintaining physical distance. To further that support, StarMetro, the City’s public transit service, will offer free rides on Saturday, June 13, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to all patrons going to or coming from the COVID-19 testing site at Florida A&M University’s Bragg Memorial Stadium. This includes rides via its fixed route and Dial-A-Ride services.
This idea was raised during the June 3 City Commission meeting to ensure that transportation was not a barrier for residents who want to be tested for the virus.
“Testing provides important information that helps us conduct ourselves appropriately in guarding against the spread of COVID-19 and how we as a community can move forward in the face of this global pandemic,” Commissioner Elaine Bryant said. “The lack of transportation disproportionately impacts many who are already in the high risk category. Providing greater access to testing can lead to better results for vulnerable populations and ultimately benefits us all.”
To ride free on a StarMetro fixed route on June 13, simply tell the coach operator as you board that you are headed to or coming back from the FAMU testing site. All riders should wear a mask on the bus. To ensure riders can properly distance themselves, bus capacity is limited to 15 people.
As Dial-a-Ride is a pre-qualified, pre-arranged service, patrons will need to schedule their Saturday trip to the testing site in advance by calling 850-891-5199.
Two routes have stops near the testing site – Moss and Dogwood. StarMetro provides a variety of services to make planning your trip by bus easy. To find routes near you, look at StarMetro’s ride guide at Talgov.com/StarMetro. Riders can also download the City’s free DigiTally app and go to Find My Bus to locate a bus in real time. Trip planning experts are available by calling 850-891-5200.
StarMetro strives to make the commuting experience enjoyable by offering free Wi-Fi on all buses, as well as at C.K. Steele Plaza.
For more information about StarMetro services, visit Talgov.com/StarMetro and follow @RideStarMetro on Twitter and Facebook.
Sign up to receive City news via text and/or email