CUPERTINO — Cupertino residents soon may have a new way of getting around town after the City Council on Tuesday approved spending for an experimental, on-demand shuttle service.

During the 18-month pilot run, residents can request a $5 ride to and from anywhere within the city. All they’d have to do is call a phone number or use an app created by Via, the selected shuttle service company. The catch is they might have to walk up to 300 feet in some cases to board the nearest shuttle or get dropped off a similar distance so the service can operate at maximum efficiency. The shuttle would pick up disabled or elderly residents directly.

Low-income riders and De Anza College students would get discounts, although fares for them have not yet been set. Weekly and monthly passes, which allow up to four rides a day, would also be available. The six-person vans can accommodate two bikes and are wheelchair accessible.

The program, which would provide 10 vans, is expected to cost $1.16 million over 18 months, although city staff can spend up to $1.75 million if demand is low and fares need to be reduced.

The shuttles would take riders to and from any destination in Cupertino, as well as some designated stops such as the Caltrain station in Sunnyvale and Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara, both near city boundaries.

City staff still needs to negotiate final terms for the agreement. Assuming a contract is approved, the service could start by October, transportation planner Chris Corrao said.

Via already operates pilot shuttle programs in West Sacramento and Los Angeles and provides the technology for similar services in Marin and Orange counties.

Cupertino initially considered a fare structure similar to that used in West Sacramento, where Via riders pay $3.50 a ride or $1.75 for seniors and people with disabilities. The West Sacramento service has been popular with seniors there, Corrao said.

Vice Mayor Liang Chao suggested the city offer coupons with ride-sharing companies such as Lyft or Uber, rather than trying to start its own program. She said ride-sharing companies could provide quicker service than the shuttles, whose wait times are estimated at 15 to 20 minutes.

But staff said it has received negative feedback about a pilot program in Mountain View where residents get $5 coupons for shared Lyft or Uber afternoon rides. According to Corrao, both companies have been unwilling to share trip data that make it possible to track whether the rides are carpools or single rides.

Chao also suggested the city explore raising its hotel bed tax to pay for the program.

“If I can see a continued revenue stream, I would feel more comfortable,” Chao said.

The city may be eligible for a Bay Area Air Quality Management District grant tailored for on-demand shuttle projects. Although that grant isn’t available to cities, Cupertino could apply for it through the Valley Transportation Authority.

Councilman Rod Sinks said the city has been talking about providing alternative transportation for years.

“Given the poor service we get from VTA, I think we just have to start something, somewhere,” Sinks said.

Information about the community shuttle will be posted on the city website at www.cupertino.org/shuttle.

Contact Thy Vo at 408-200-1055 or tvo@bayareanewsgroup.com.