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Mercedes Will Offer Affordable Ridesharing For LA Residents

Oct. 04, 2018 1:05 PM ET by Jared Rosenholtz Industry News / 4 Comments Hitch a ride in a Metris van or a GLC hybrid. Anyone who has ever visited Los Angeles knows getting around the city can be stressful. Traffic is rage inducing, public transport is limited, and rideshare services like Uber can be expensive if used frequently. Automakers have been seeking a solution to transportation woes such as this by investing in their own rideshare services. Mercedes-Benz models will be used by a new partnership called FlexLA between FASTLinkDTLA, a project designed to improve traffic in LA, and Moovel, the leading provider of mobile ticketing applications in North America. The goal of this new partnership is to provide affordable transportation for LA residents. LA residents will be able to hitch a ride in a Mercedes Metris van or GLC hybrid driven by salaried US military veterans. Not only will this service provide affordable transportation, but also jobs for military veterans in search of work. FASTLinkDTLA has worked with several veteran programs to hire drivers who will be using a fleet of vehicles instead of their personal cars. The fleet will even have ADA-accessible vehicles for customers with wheelchairs and mobility devices. Unlike Uber, FlexLA won't take you directly to your destination. Instead, the service will drop passengers off at virtual stops along with fellow riders who are heading in the same direction. The goal is to help people get where they need to go in the evenings when public transport is less frequent. "Many workers and residents in Downtown LA are left with few transportation options during the late-night hours when public transit service is less frequent," said FAST Executive Director Hilary Norton. "FlexLA fills a gap in the city's transportation network, offering Angelenos a safe, reliable transportation option that connects with public transit, and provides a more predictable cost than private rideshare services. FASTLinkDTLA will actively seek feedback from riders and the community to grow and evolve the FlexLA service to ensure it is meeting the needs of people who live, work and visit Downtown L.A." Actual pricing doesn't seem to be available, but FlexLA says it will charge a reduced fair during the pilot. In the future, customers will pay "a competitive flat-rate fare, with discounted fares available for qualifying low-income Angelenos." Check out all Mercedes van models. Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz

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Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe Mercedes-Benz Metris Passenger Van Jared Rosenholtz Editor-at-Large After graduating with an MBA, Jared pursued his love of cars by becoming an automotive journalist. An internship with CarBuzz grew into his current position as Editor At Large. Jared now spends most of his time evaluating new vehicles and chasing the latest news stories in the automotive industry. When he’s not attending Cars & Coffee events on the weekend, Jared loves to watch NFL football and cruise around with the top down in his German convertible. Contact Jared @Carsnbites @jar_rosenholtz LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top