Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works has partnered with Velocia – a mobility rewards platform – to create an app that rewards commuters for multi-modal transit use in its cities. Commuters are encouraged to adopt a variety of transportation options – including public transit, car-sharing, bike- and scooter-sharing, carpooling, and even walking – to gain redeemable awards.
The rewards are earned in the form of ‘Velos’ which can then be redeemed within the Velocia mobility ecosystem, providing users with immediate discounts on available transportation services such as Lyft and Uber.
“This public-private model for urban transportation allows us to leverage a mobility ecosystem already in existence to create an infrastructure-light solution that rewards people for breaking the habit of traveling in cars with just one occupant,” said Carlos Gimenez, mayor of Miami-Dade County. “The county’s partnership with Velocia goes to the heart of our mission to reduce gridlock across our roads while creating a healthier, more sustainable community for everyone who lives and works here.”
The app can be downloaded on iPhone and Android. It started with 2,000 beta users and has increased to more than 5,500 by friend referrals and word of mouth.
“Miami is set up with some of the best mobility and active transportation options available in North America. Our mission is to bring the different players together and help get people out of traffic, by incentivising commuters to try new, efficient and fun ways to get around their city, instead of relying on single-occupant vehicles,” added David Winterstein, CEO, Velocia. “Of course, the ecosystem would not be fully complete without Miami-Dade public transit on the platform. We are extremely excited to continue to grow Velocia in South Florida and work with Miami-Dade County to demonstrate how the public and private sector can innovate together to help solve complex traffic problems in cities.”
