Birmingham On Demand rideshare program is expanding into 19 eastern neighborhoods [List & Map]

The popular Birmingham On Demand rideshare program is preparing to expand into 19 neighborhoods near and east of the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.

“Three years ago the City of Birmingham in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham took the bold step of piloting the introduction of on demand microtransit to shift the paradigm of what public transportation could look like for our citizens,” Birmingham District 5 City Councilor Darrell O’Quinn told Bham Now. 

“Riders love it!” he declared.

Background

A program that works much like Uber or Lyft, riders can book and pay for a ride within certain areas around town by using Birmingham On-Demand on the Via app (iOS and Android) or by calling 205-236-0768. The cost of the rides are $1.50 and you may be joined by a neighbor or two on the ride.

Established in late 2019, the Birmingham On-Demand pilot service zone covered a 6.7-square-mile section of the city, which includes the downtown Intermodal Facility, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), City Hall, the CrossPlex, Children’s of Alabama, the Jefferson County Courthouse and other city and county offices downtown Birmingham. 

Neighborhoods served by the program include Smithfield, Graymont, College Hills, Bush Hills, Rising West Princeton, East Thomas, Fairview and portions of Southside.

Launched a couple of months before the Covid-19 pandemic, the innovative and inexpensive rideshare program provided over 25,000 rides during its first 11 months.

Expanding East

At the City Council’s Transportation Committee meeting this week, the Mayor’s Office announced it is expanding the Birmingham On Demand service area into an additional 19 neighborhoods.

“By far, the most common feedback we hear is that people would like to use it in other parts of the city,” said O’Quinn. “So, I’m very excited that we’re preparing to add a new service area that will serve 19 neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city.”

The new neighborhoods added to the Birmingham On Demand service include:

• Huffman
• Roebuck 
• Roebuck Springs
• South Roebuck
• Zion City
• North East Lake
• South East Lake
• Wahouma
• Woodlawn
• South Woodlawn
• Gate City
• Airport Highlands
• Brownsville Heights
• Pine Knoll Vista
• Echo Highlands
• Penfield Park
• Maple Grove
• Killough Springs
• Spring Lake

New Service to Begin in December 

Just in time for the holiday season, the city expects to officially add the newly expanded Birmingham On Demand Program to its service area in December.

O’Quinn is excited about the program’s expansion and the impact it will have on people’s lives. 

“Lives will be transformed. Quality of life will be improved. As a public servant, these are the moments we strive for.”

Have you used Birmingham On Demand? Tell us what your experience was like on social media by tagging us at @bhamnow