Public transit returned to the city of Idaho Falls, Idaho, June 3, with a ribbon cutting ceremony held in the City Hall parking lot. The ceremony officially kicked off the new Greater Idaho Falls Transit (GIFT) On-Demand point-to-point rideshare service.
“Unlike the former transportation service that had fixed routes and bus stops, GIFT is an on-demand service that can be scheduled from the comfort of your own home or wherever you are doing business in Idaho Falls," said Transit Coordinator Kade Marquez. "You can even schedule up to one week in advance.”
Users schedule rides through the App by going to the Apple App Store or Google Play and search “GIFT On-Demand” to find and download the App. Rides can also be scheduled by calling.
“This service is literally for everybody in the city,” added Marquez. “If you need a ride to and from work, schedule a GIFT. If you don’t want to pack up the kids’ bikes for a ride around the river, quickly bring up the GIFT App on your smartphone. If you are going to one of our city’s fun summer events downtown, at Sandy Downs, the river, zoo, or any other facility in Idaho Falls and don’t want to worry about parking, give us a call."
The general low-cost fare is $3 per person per ride one way and is collected through the App. The fare is less if the individual qualifies for a discounted rate based on the federal funding regulations, such as individuals over the age of 63.
The service will be available 14 hours a day, six days a week. The hours of operation are 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
GIFT vehicles are ADA compliant for individuals with disabilities. All drivers are trained in basic medical transport to assist users from the front door, to the vehicle and then to door of their destination. Over the next couple of weeks, each of the seven vehicle will be equipped with bike racks to transport users to and/or from the various pathways in Idaho Falls, such as the River Walk.
Created by voters in 1994, the transit authority has provided nearly 25 years of service to Southeast Idaho. After ceasing fixed-route service in 2019, the new on-demand pilot project is funded federally through grants. No further taxpayer dollars are necessary to operate the service.
Over the next two years, data will be collected on the pilot program and evaluated to determine future demand, user groups, funding options and service delivery.
