Residents in Coachella, California can soon expect to see an eco-friendly transformation in their rideshare services. Coachella City Council has given the greenlight to a plan to introduce 17 Tesla Model Ys into their transportation fleet. The move is part of an partnership with the Latino Equity Advocacy Policy Institute (LEAP) to offer sustainable and accessible transportation options to the community.
The city council this week authorized a rideshare services agreement with LEAP, aiming to cater to a diverse range of transportation needs, including employment, doctor visits, school commutes, and more. The program’s primary goal is to serve the community effectively, with a particular emphasis on providing convenient transportation for migrant farmworkers, hospitality industry workers, and students pursuing higher education.
The Model Y was selected for the program due to its spacious design. The service is expected to operate seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will be accessible through an on-demand app for seamless booking.
Mayor Steven Hernandez expressed his enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing the positive impact it will have on the lives of residents. “Our intent is to make it available for migrant farmworkers, folks that work in the hospitality industry, folks that need to go to college, medical visits,” said Mayor Hernandez. (via News3)
Each Model Y will cost the city $60,530, putting the total cost of the 17 electric SUVs at $1,029,010. The city will be utilizing Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program grant funds to cover the expenses, obtained from the California Department of Housing and Community Development in 2020. Initially, the grant was intended for the purchase of 40 vans for use by Calvans, but LEAP’s proposal for rideshare services with Teslas led to a change in plans.
Addressing concerns over the availability of charging infrastructure, Mayor Hernandez raised questions about the city’s existing two charging stations. In response, Maritza Martinez, Coachella’s public works director, assured the mayor that they were working with Tesla to install additional charging stations at no cost to the city.
