San Antonio's transportation game just got a significant boost with the expansion of The Little Runner, a downtown shuttle service previously exclusive to the University of Texas at San Antonio community. As reported by FOX San Antonio, now free and open to all downtown patrons, the electric shuttle aims to streamline the last-mile conundrum for commuters, students, and tourists alike.
Initially trialed for UTSA students and faculty, the shuttle has seen upwards of 2,000 rides, “We are thrilled to invite downtown residents, visitors, and the entire downtown community to ride The Little Runner,” Centro San Antonio's president and CEO, Trish DeBerry, exclaimed. Despite the spur of electric buzz surrounding the program, the selection of the Austin-based service operator eCab has stirred some local feathers. Critics at a City Council meeting questioned the bypassing of smaller local companies, yet DeBerry maintained the decision was about hitting business targets, efficiently, according to a Hoodline report.
Operating within the Public Improvement District boundaries, the shuttles zip across the downtown space Mondays through Thursdays from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and conclude at 7 p.m. on Fridays. Accessibility is a key feature, with ride requests just a call, text, or app tap away. Future service hour adjustments are on the horizon as announced by Centro San Antonio, aiming to cater to the summer crowd.
Behind the scenes, eCab's data-driven approach sharpens the service's aim, analyzing ridership patterns to tweak shuttle deployments. Mary Hernandez, UTSA's senior associate vice president for administration and operations, told Hoodline, that the ultimate goal is enhancing the downtown experience from a safety, and convenience perspective. Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito, however, pointed out that eCab could indeed be fast-tracking toward a long-term contract advantage, a prospect to watch as the shuttle service rolls ahead.
