North County Transit District Pilots First-/Last-Mile Service, San Diego County, CA 2022

The North County Transit District (NCTD) is now offering subsidized rides to and from two commuter rail stations through a pilot called NCTD+. Customers can use Lyft or Uber to travel to or from the Carlsbad Poinsettia and Sorrento Valley COASTER stations in this pilot. People with disabilities can request an accessible vehicle through a third service, TripShot. Subsidies are only eligible for rides that start or end at either of the COASTER stations. For NCTD+, the Sorrento Valley zone covers 16.1 square miles, and the Carlsbad Poinsettia zone covers 10.8 square miles.

Rides on NCTD+ are available between 5:30 AM and 10:30 PM, Monday through Friday. Customers receive a subsidy of up to $7.50 for their fare after paying the first $2.50 on a ride. If a trip fare exceeds $10 ($2.50 initial fare plus $7.50 subsidy), customers must pay for that additional cost as well. Customers can redeem their subsidies by entering discount codes on the apps for Lyft, TripShot, or Uber and are allowed up to 50 trips at each station in a month.

NCTD+ can demonstrate how technology companies and transit agencies can partner to provide targeted services to customers. This pilot can inform NCTD as to whether or not first-/last-mile transportation options can improve ridership and the passenger experience. It will be valuable to see if NCTD extends this partnership on a more permanent basis or partners with other transportation providers, including micromobility companies.

Last updated January 26, 2022