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Martin County expands veterans rides with on-demand Uber contract; rides surge to 1,700
Summary
Martin County launched an on-demand veterans transportation service in July 2025, contracting a TNC (Uber). Transit Administrator Ash Beecher said the program delivered over 1,700 rides versus about 250 per year previously.
Martin County introduced a door-to-door veterans transportation program in July 2025 after soliciting bids for a transit network company to provide rides. Transit Administrator Ash Beecher said the county awarded the contract to Uber and that demand has greatly exceeded prior service levels.
"In the prior years, we did maybe 250 rides per year in total. Since we've implemented this TNC program, we've done over 1,700 rides," Beecher told podcast hosts.
Beecher said the service provides trips for veterans to medical appointments, grocery shopping and other needs that were not being met by the fixed-route system; Marty buses continue to serve the VA for scheduled appointments. The county framed the program as a targeted expansion designed to address veterans' mobility gaps without altering fixed-route schedules.
The podcast did not include a detailed contract value, procurement record, or eligibility rules for veterans; Beecher described the program as a contracted service launched after a competitive bid process.
County staff said the uptake indicates unmet demand but did not provide the program's annual operating cost or the number of unique veterans served during the period reported.
