Downtown San Diego Shuttle Service No Longer Offers Free Rides

San Diego, California, USA – July 31, 2018: Historic San Diego sign depicting San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter in downtown with Victorian architecture. Cityscape with blue sky.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — FRED, an electric shuttle program that serves downtown San Diego, is known for its free rides. However, that changed Monday as a fare was added to the rides.

With a limit of five passengers per request, it will cost each customer $2.50 per ride, capped at $5 per ride, Circuit, the company that operates the service, said on its website.

FRED made an average of more than 16,000 trips per month.

The reason for the change? The fare is supposed to “help improve ride quality by reducing cancellations and wait times,” the city told the San Diego Union-Tribune, FOX 5/KUSI’s reporting partners, in a statement.

The electric shuttle service, launched in August 2016, offers short-distance rides to major attractions such as the Gaslamp Quarter, Seaport Village, Petco Park, the USS Midway Museum and local shops and restaurants.

Group rides are also available for passengers who can share the vehicle with others outside your group.

FRED is offering three free rides using the promo code FREDSUMMER2024.

FRED’s hours of operation are 7am to 7pm Monday through Thursday, 7am to 8pm Friday, 8am to 8pm Saturday, and 8am to 7pm Sunday.