Uber drivers needed to help students without rides

MILTON — Uber could be a solution for transporting secondary education students to school, but first, the Milton area needs more drivers to sign up for the service, according to the city’s planning director, Randy Jorgenson.

For the past six months, Milton has worked on solutions to get secondary education students without transportation to Pensacola State College and Locklin Technical Institute.

These students have a “free ride,” but no ride, Dean of the Pensacola State College Milton campus Anthea Amos said. In other words, they have a scholarship to attend school at no charge, but no way to travel there.

The Milton council wants to help, but area residents first need to sign up with Uber, Jorgenson said.

People can request a ride using the Uber smartphone application. Drivers use their own vehicles to pick up riders and transport them to their destinations. The app automatically calculates and charges fare at the end of the trip.

This is an opportunity for people to make money in addition to helping others, according to Jorgenson, who said drivers could include those who have recently lost a job and need supplemental income, retired residents who want part-time work, or students who have their own transportation.

The city is considering subsidizing rides to reduce costs to students, according to Milton assistant planner Stephen Schoen.

Visit www.uber.com for more information on the ride-sharing program.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Uber drivers needed to help students without rides