DC Mobility Innovation District Partners with Spin and Zipcar to Launch Universal Basic Mobility Micro-Pilot

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, October 15, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The DC Mobility Innovation District (DC MID) is excited to announce its partnership with Spin and Zipcar to launch a Universal Basic Mobility (UBM) Micro-Pilot in Washington, D.C. Convened and sponsored by Spin, this innovative initiative provides fully subsidized public transportation options to participants with the goal of better understanding cost barriers and travel choices for DC residents.

The UBM Micro-Pilot started September 25 and will continue through December 31, 2024. The pilot involves 10-20 participants from the Spin Access program and the DC MID network. Participants will be equipped with various transportation options, including fully subsidized transit, micromobility, and car sharing. The program started with two onboarding sessions on September 25 and 26, where participants gained access to these mobility offerings and provided initial feedback. Participants will receive benefits for three months from their start date, with onboarding that continues on a rolling basis through October.

Mobility offerings include free access to:
● WMATA MetroRail and MetroBus
● Spin bikes and scooters
● Zipcar carsharing
● E-cargo bike rentals through the DC MID’s E-bike Library

“Our goal in convening this initiative is to dig deeper into the strong utilization of our current Spin Access program in the District, which provides free bike and scooter trips to income-eligible residents and accounts for more than 10 percent of total miles ridden across our entire fleet”, said John Lankford, Senior Director at Spin. “We want to look beyond the purely quantitative data to better understand how we can make our service even more beneficial and easier to access for District residents.”

To this end, the pilot study aims to collect in-depth qualitative data from a select group of District residents to assess the financial and travel effects of providing subsidized public transportation. Insights gathered will guide future program offerings and expansions. Surveys and interviews will explore mobility patterns, changes in transportation modes due to subsidies, affordability challenges and the broader impacts of reduced transportation costs on participants.

“The Universal Basic Mobility micro-pilot will allow us to better understand the transportation needs for some of DC’s most vulnerable residents,” said Mitch LaRosa, Director of the DC MID. “Our findings will help the DC MID and its partners to develop trailblazing solutions that address mobility gaps for underserved populations.”

“Convenient, affordable transportation is key to unlocking opportunities for everyone, especially in low-income areas where access to mobility can transform daily life,” said William Sowers, Senior Manager of Public Policy and Partnerships at Zipcar. “By providing residents with the freedom to move easily between home, work, and leisure activities, we’re not just enhancing accessibility — we’re improving quality of life and building a more sustainable and equitable future.”

For the DC MID, access to transportation should be a right, not a privilege. This micro-pilot represents a critical step in Spin’s mission to make mobility more inclusive and accessible, ensuring that everyone, regardless of income, has the freedom to move around their city. The DC MID, Spin, and Zipcar are committed to creating a world where transportation is free of barriers, and this micro-pilot demonstrates the potential for cities to adopt new, inclusive mobility solutions.

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About The DC MID
Headquartered in Southwest DC, the DC MID (DC Mobility Innovation District) plants the seed for future-forward mobility solutions that position safe mobility options as an answer to systemic urban issues that improve quality of life and access for all. The public-private partnership uses on-the-ground testing and mobilizes global technology partners to drive local-first solutions, then serves as a template for fixing disadvantages in cities nationwide. The DC MID is supported through a grant from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.

About Spin
Spin is one of the leading micromobility companies. We operate dockless electric scooters on campuses and in cities across North America and Europe. Spin has been recognized for launching the first stationless mobility program in the United States and was instrumental in crafting the world’s first mobility permit system.

As a technology company that powers individual mobility for the benefit of all and strategically collaborates to reshape policy and redesign urban life, our mission is to create a world full of 15-minute cities—and to bring those cities to life by moving people freely through their streets.

About Zipcar
Zipcar is the world's leading car-sharing network, driven by a mission to enable simple and responsible urban living. With its wide variety of self-service vehicles available by the hour, day, or week, Zipcar operates in urban areas and university campuses in hundreds of cities and towns. Zipcar is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAR), a provider of mobility solutions. To learn more, visit www.zipcar.com

Pamela Wolf
Southwest Business Improvement District
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