Last December, the Oakland Department of Transportation launched the Universal Basic Mobility program. There are five hundred participants in the pilot program. Each gets a 300-dollar transit card that can be used to pay for rides on AC Transit, BART, city bikes, and scooters
The transportation department chose 500 people based on their income levels and transportation needs. More than one thousand people applied for the program. Half are on the waitlist in case the city expands the program.
Over the next few months, the Department of Transportation will use anonymous user data from their cards to explore future expansion of the program.
Funds for the pilot came from a Alameda County Transportation Commission grant. Other Bay Area cities piloting similar bus services are San Francisco and Santa Rosa.