The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) unveiled the vehicles that will carry passengers on the new OC Flex microtransit pilot program set to launch Oct. 15. Each shuttle is capable of holding up to eight passengers. The on-demand service will take passengers curb-to-curb within two designated zones – one in Huntington Beach and Westminster, and the other in Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel. The service in the Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel zone is scheduled to launch on Oct. 20.
Riders can hop aboard for $4.50 when using the OC Flex Mobile app or pay $5 cash on board. A pass gives customers unlimited daily rides in either of the zones and on any Orange County bus fixed route for the day. The vehicles are accessible to wheelchair passengers and will operate seven days a week. With a valid Metrolink or Amtrak pass, customers can also ride to and from a train station for free.
“This is a great example of OCTA trying new ways to meet the changing needs of our community by providing alternative modes of transportation that improve mobility for our residents,” says OCTA Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett and the county’s Fifth District Supervisor. “We hope that this innovative option will help introduce more people to the convenience and affordability of public transit.”
Vehicles are operated by professional drivers who undergo background checks and extensive safety training. Service during the pilot program is primarily funded with a grant from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee, which supports projects that take cars off the road and reduce air pollution.
For more information on downloading the OC Flex app and on the zones where the pilot program will operate, click here.
