Mayor Fulop Announces Unique Partnership with Uber to provide 12,000 Free Rides to Jersey City Seniors & Frontline Workers
JERSEY CITY - Mayor Steven M. Fulop is joining forces with Uber to announce a new agreement that will unequivocally expand residents’ access to COVID-19 vaccinations with free Uber rides to and from Jersey City vaccination sites. At the start of Phase 1B, which includes essential frontline workers and seniors 75 years old and over, the city will provide 12,000 free roundtrip rides to residents who will benefit most from avoiding crowded mass transit or may not otherwise have the means to travel.
“We’ve been successful in utilizing our community partnerships to create innovative solutions to meet various challenges exacerbated by this pandemic, and this latest joint venture with Uber will provide our seniors and frontline workers with free, safe, and direct access to lifesaving vaccinations,” said Mayor Fulop. “I’m extremely grateful for Uber’s generosity, which will ultimately encourage more people to get vaccinated early.”
Eligible residents can indicate they need a free Uber ride when scheduling their vaccination appointment with the city. Rides can be booked through the Uber app. For those who do not have access to the company’s app, Uber will also provide the city with a dedicated platform called “Uber Health” where HHS staff can book rides for residents.
“Leveraging our platform to help communities and small businesses during the pandemic has been our company’s primary focus in recent months and this groundbreaking partnership with Mayor Fulop and Jersey City fits that mission perfectly,” said Alix Anfang, Spokesperson for Uber New Jersey. “We’re excited to work closely with one of the state’s most innovative cities to help fulfill its goal of equitably and efficiently distributing vaccinations to the most vulnerable residents, regardless of their access to transportation.”
Since day one of the pandemic, Jersey City has remained ahead of the curve in helping residents and local businesses get the assistance they need in these especially difficult times. Most recently, the Health Department has been working proactively to establish a comprehensive vaccination program, carefully preparing for the municipal rollout so that the city can immediately start administering vaccines once the state delivers them.
Furthermore, this week a resolution ratifying the emergency contract award to BeSpoke Health will be voted on at the City Council meeting, extending BeSpoke’s contract to manage the COVID-19 vaccination efforts as part of the city’s ongoing response to the pandemic. The city’s vaccine scheduling portal will be available through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) once the federal government opens vaccinations to Phase 1B. For more information please visit www.jerseycitynj.gov/vaccine.
The city’s first vaccination site is the Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center, located on Martin Luther King Drive, with sites expanding to all six wards as more people can get vaccinated under federal guidelines.
To address the lack of education taking place nationwide, Jersey City is also offering informational workshops about the vaccine to all of Phase 1A, and will extend availability according to the federally phased allocation.
All media inquiries should be directed to Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione at [email protected].