Uber will offer 12,000 free rides to seniors in Jersey City seeking COVID-19 vaccinations when they are made available by the state.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“We’re grateful that Uber has decided to partner with us to make sure that all residents will be able to safely travel to and from our vaccination sites once we enter Phase 1B and begin administering shots to a broader set of our population,” Mayor Steven Fulop said in a statement.
“Providing free direct access to the citywide sites helps alleviate any concerns over travel costs and exposure on crowded mass transit, and will ultimately encourage more residents to get vaccinated early.”
The free rides will be provided via Uber Health, with their staff booking rides for residents who do not have access to the company’s app, with priority given to at risk populations over 75 years old.
The city plans to use the free rides to offer safe transportation to low income residents who may not otherwise be able to travel to a vaccine site.
Jersey City staff will be able to book free Uber rides for residents without an Uber account as part of the vaccine signup process, or provide promo codes to residents who are current active Uber users to cover the cost of the ride.
“Leveraging our platform to help communities and small businesses during the pandemic has been our company’s primary focus in recent months and this groundbreaking partnership with Mayor Fulop and Jersey City fits that mission perfectly,” added Uber New Jersey spokesperson Alix Anfang.
“We’re excited to work closely with one of the state’s most innovative cities to help fulfill its goal of equitably and efficiently distributing vaccinations to the most vulnerable residents, regardless of their access to transportation.”
