Evolving partnerships: how Uber and Brightline rapidly innovate with flexible tech

We’re sharing a major evolution in our partnership with Brightline: Vouchers API. This new tech solution is a step forward in first-mile/last-mile connectivity and customer satisfaction, and we’re proud to premiere it with the leading US provider of eco-friendly, intercity rail. Vouchers API will be available to all Uber Transit partners in 2024.

Brightline seeks to reduce personal car use by offering high-speed rail in some of the country’s most popular destinations. Since its launch in 2018, Brightline has rapidly expanded and now connects more than 4 million riders to destinations throughout Florida. 

In 2023, Brightline and Uber Transit began a shared mobility partnership aimed at tackling the crucial first-mile/last-mile challenge. By tapping into Uber’s Guest Rides API, Brightline found a tech solution that increased overall access to transit and made it significantly easier for locals and visitors to take mass transportation. 

That initial phase allowed Brightline guests to request Uber rides within the Brightline app for the first-mile/last-mile leg of their journey.

Photos courtesy of Brightline 

After our partnership’s initial success, Brightline looks toward continuing to enhance journey planning for riders, streamlining operations, and improving cost-efficiency. 

Uber Transit’s solution, Vouchers API, minimizes operational burden by allowing our partners to easily set up and manage custom transportation subsidy programs without much manual oversight. 

The API further enhances that process by automating registration and directly (and automatically) issuing $10 vouchers for an Uber ride to or from Brightline stations to any guests who purchase PREMIUM tickets on Brightline routes. By integrating directly into Brightline’s app and ticketing system, the feature provides a smoother experience for riders. Another benefit of the new integration is that it gives riders more control over their trip experience, allowing them to request a ride when they’re ready. With less intervention from Brightline to facilitate the customer journey, company coordinators and riders are all happier with the new tech. 

What’s more, Brightline can easily forecast, analyze, and control spending through the Uber for Business Dashboard.

Committed to providing a seamless transition for all Brightline riders, Uber Transit implemented the Vouchers API within 30 days.

Since implementing the Vouchers API in January 2024, Brightline has delivered 51,000+ Uber trips with over 2,000 weekly active riders, all while reporting decreasing operational costs.*

A key benefit of its partnership with Uber: Brightline can quickly adapt to the unique needs of its 4 million riders with innovative technology—all while looking toward the future. In 2028, the rail provider seeks to begin service on Brightline West, one of the first high-speed passenger rail systems in the United States.

*Uber data: February 1, 2024 – June 1, 2024

If you are a mobility manager interested in harnessing Uber’s technology, please visit uber.com/transit for more information.

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