Flexible Fleets

The Flexible Fleets strategy builds on the popularity of shared mobility services such as on-demand rideshare, bikeshare, and scootershare. These fleet services provide people different mobility options and vehicles for all types of trips, reducing the need to own a car. Services can make it easier to connect to high-speed transit and other important destinations by providing a last-mile connection or fulfilling a complete trip. They can also help reduce air pollution and congestion and provide affordable and equitable mobility choices for all users. As these on-demand services are typically reserved through a mobile app, SANDAG and other public agencies are working with the private sector to ensure there are options for people without a smartphone or credit card who’d like to use the service. 

In efforts to implement the 2021 Regional Plan, SANDAG developed a Flexible Fleets Implementation Strategic Plan to develop guidance for planning and implementing Flexible Fleet services in communities across the San Diego region. The Strategic Plan identifies priority Flexible Fleet service areas and provides a detailed roadmap with actions necessary for deploying services in a way that helps the region achieve its transportation, social equity, and environmental goals.  

Flexible Fleet Categories 

• Micromobility: Small, low-speed, vehicles such as e-scooters, bikes, and other electric rideables support short trips around a community.   
• Rideshare: Drivers and passengers headed in a similar direction can share the ride in a vehicle. This includes carpool, vanpool, and pooled ridehailing services such as uberPOOL and Lyft Shared.  
• Microtransit: Multi-passenger shuttles can carry up to 15 passengers and provide rides within a defined service area. This technology-enabled transit service allows users to reserve a ride ahead of time or on-demand. Smaller, all-electric shuttles, also known as neighborhood electric vehicles (NEV), are a form of microtransit that provides a sustainable and convenient solution for short trips around communities. 
• Ridehailing: On-demand ridehailing services allow someone to request a ride in real time. Services link the passenger with available drivers based on their trip length, number of passengers, origin, and destination. This includes services such as Uber, Lyft, and taxis.  
• Last Mile Delivery: Driverless vehicles, e-bikes, drones, and bots will deliver a range of goods from a distribution hub to individual consumers, businesses, or smart lockers at Mobility Hubs. Some last-mile delivery services can consolidate trips by carrying passengers and goods at the same time.