CARLSBAD — The Carlsbad Connector, a Coaster shuttle connecting commuters to workplaces and areas in Carlsbad, will officially launch at 8:15 a.m. Aug. 19 at the Poinsettia station, 6511 Avenida Encinas. It is a new pilot service and the first program of its kind in San Diego County.
The shuttle service is a partnership between the city of Carlsbad, North County Transit District (NCTD) and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). Designed to address the “first-last mile” problem, it will operate like Uber and Lyft, using an app-based technology developed by RideCo and operated by WeDriveU. Commuters will be able to book trips on 12-passenger vans that will provide transportation between the Carlsbad Poinsettia Station and the city’s primary industrial and commercials cores, located west of Interstate 5 and in the McClellan-Palomar Airport area. The shuttles will drop employees off within a five-minute walk from their workplace.
The shuttles will serve commuters arriving on the Coaster trains between 7 and 9 a.m., and departing between 3 and 6 p.m. The service also provides transportation from noon to 3 p.m. to accommodate train users who need a ride for lunch.
Commuters who have Coaster passes ride for free; non-pass holders pay $2.50 for a one-way ride. Businesses may arrange with RideCo to cover the cost of their employees’ trips.
Carlsbad Connector combines the partners’ goals to increase Coaster ridership, help commuters get to their destination in a convenient and timely manner, and reduce emissions by decreasing the number of employees who drive to work alone. Learn more at CarlsbadConnector.com.
The pilot service supports the city of Carlsbad’s Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce the number of commuters who drive solo to jobs within the city, and the city’s Transportation Demand Management Program (TDM) that seeks to reduce emissions by decreasing the number of employees who drive to work alone. Follow #CarlsbadConnector on social media.
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