Ribbon Cutting Gives First Up-Close Look at New Service Launching Thursday
TAMPA, FL (October 11, 2023) – Community leaders officially cut the ribbon this afternoon for the Tampa Downtown Partnership’s new DASH ride service. Beginning Thursday afternoon, the public can start catching low-cost rides in the bright yellow, all-electric Tesla SUVs. The new transportation option will take passengers on shared rides between about 20 different hub locations.
“As we continue to grow and all the seven neighborhoods of Downtown evolve, we need other ways to move within the core of Downtown- and this is a really exciting way to make that happen,” said Shaun Drinkard, Interim President of the Tampa Downtown Partnership.
DASH (Downtown Area Shared Hubs) rides are a significant savings over other rideshare services, priced at $2 per person, with a “driver-ambassador” behind the wheel – a uniformed, background checked, expert guide to what to see and do in Downtown Tampa’s seven unique neighborhoods.
At Wednesday’s ribbon cutting, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor got to see first-hand what the new service offers people who live, work, play, and learn in Tampa’s Downtown. “How do we get our community from Point A to Point B in the most efficient fashion?” Castor asked. “The ‘first mile-last mile’ is critically important, and DASH is a great solution to that.”
The public can start scheduling rides Thursday afternoon by downloading the “DASH Tampa” smartphone app from the Apple App Store on iPhones or the Google Play Store on Android phones.
The service will roll out with limited hours on Thursday, October 12, operating from noon to 11 p.m. On Friday, the service plans to shift to its normal, full-time hours: Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
DASH Fast Facts
– DASH’s sleek yellow-and-black Tesla Model Y SUVs are a new sustainable, zero-emission way to zip around Downtown Tampa.
– Riders will use an app to schedule a trip between around 20 hub locations throughout Downtown’s seven neighborhoods: the Downtown Core, River Arts District, Channel District, Water Street, Central Park, West Riverfront, and Tampa Heights.
– The app will pair up to four passengers to share each hub-to-hub trip.
– Passengers who need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle will be able to request an ADA-compliant van using the app.
– As with any brand new service, operational details may change as the system is rolled out.
