Bay County uses grant to help pay bus, Uber fees for 'transportation disadvantaged' people

PANAMA CITY — Lamar Hobbs believes reliable transportation is something all area residents should have access to.

As transit program administrator for Bay County, Hobbs said officials on Wednesday finalized details of a program to help pay ride fees for "transportation disadvantaged individuals" using either Bayway or Uber. Through the initiative, qualified applicants will pay a $1.50 copay per ride, and the county will cover the rest.

The program is being funded by a more than $700,000 grant from the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged.

"We had to come up with an innovative way to provide more service to transportation disadvantaged individuals," Hobbs said. "When we started looking at how we could do that, one of the things that came up was being able to allow people to utilize Uber."

He noted the county will use the grant funding to pay the remaining balances for rides taken by residents who qualify as transportation disadvantaged. It covers Bayway or Uber rides taken only throughout Bay County. That said, there is not limit for how many rides one person can take.

"If it weren't for public transportation and systems like this, those (transportation disadvantaged) people would not be able to make a living, simply because they can't get to and from their places of employment," Hobbs said.

Bayway is made up of two types of transportation: a fixed route system with designated routes throughout the area, and a demand response system that allows qualified applicants to request specific pickup and dropoff times.

To be eligible for transportation disadvantage benefits through the program, individuals must have no other means of transportation, as well as meet at least one more requirement − be at least 60 years old, earn an income below the current poverty guideline or have a disability.

Student transportation: GCSC partners with Bayway to provide students with free transportation across Bay County

Hobbs said he hopes for the program to begin by Sept. 15. To apply for transportation disadvantaged status, visit www.baywaytransit.org.

"We have a great deal of people within Bay County who do meet the criteria of 'transportation disadvantaged,'" Hobbs said. "This program opens up opportunities for those people who otherwise would basically be stuck at home or stuck somewhere other than being able to go out and be a normal member of society."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County to help pay bus, Uber fees for select area residents