Green Mobility Option Starts Hiring

Driver-Ambassadors Tomorrow

TAMPA, FL (July 31, 2023) – An innovative new option to travel around fast-growing Downtown Tampa is on its way, the Tampa Downtown Partnership announced Monday. DASH will zip passengers through the city with low-cost shared rides between more than 20 different hubs located across Downtown.

With bright yellow Tesla SUVs and expert driver-ambassadors, DASH (Downtown Area Shared Hubs) will add a new mobility option that’s easier to use and less expensive for riders taking trips between Downtown Tampa’s seven neighborhoods.

When DASH goes live in October, passengers will use a mobile app to catch a ride between more than 20 hub locations evenly distributed throughout Downtown. A uniformed, background checked, trained driver-ambassador will do the driving, and the app will pair up to four passengers to share the hub-to-hub trip.

A DASH ride will cost just a few dollars per trip – far less than a trip using a traditional rideshare app. Hub locations, pricing, and operating hours will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Whether you live, work, play or learn here, DASH will help everyone who comes to Tampa’s Downtown by giving them a new mobility option. A ride in a DASH Tesla will be low-cost, protected from the weather, and ideal for medium-length trips within Downtown,” said Tampa Downtown Partnership Interim President Shaun Drinkard.

Hiring Begins Tuesday, August 1

Each DASH vehicle will be driven by a “driver-ambassador.” In addition to extensive safety and driving training, they will also complete in-depth training as an ambassador to Downtown’s seven unique neighborhoods. They’ll serve as experts on where to go and what to know about Downtown Tampa.

Driver-ambassadors will also serve as extra sets of eyes and ears in the city, able to quickly report any issues to maintenance staff or law enforcement. Job applicants can apply starting tomorrow, August 1, at tampasdowntown.com. Training will begin in the next few weeks, with the DASH service planning to offer its first rides in October.

Adding a New Option for All

DASH passengers will share rides in new, zero-emission, all-electric Tesla Model Y vehicles. However, passengers who need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle can request an ADA-compliant van using the app.

“DASH is designed to add to the growing number of mobility options in Downtown Tampa-not replace any of them,” said Karen Kress, Senior Director of Transportation & Planning for the Tampa Downtown Partnership.

“From scooters and e-bikes to the TECO Line Streetcar and Pirate Water Taxi to HART bus service and bicycle lanes, we know that a growing urban center needs a wide range of ways to get around. That’s how we avoid congestion, reduce pollution, and help people enjoy everything their city has to offer.”