LTD details the new EmGo ride service and app

Free rides around downtown Eugene will be available to workers, tourists, residents and other commuters as part of a new electric car program launching next week.

EmGo riders will be able to hail a ride through a smartphone app starting Aug. 23, the Lane Transit District announced Wednesday. The launch coincides with the first day of the new MarketFest event at the 5th Street Public Market.

EmGo cars will operate from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. LTD will test EmGo cars for a year before deciding whether to make them a permanent transportation option in downtown Eugene.

"EmGo keeps fossil-fuel vehicles parked and people on the move downtown get to work, meetings, lunch, or shopping," LTD general manager Aurora Jackson said in a statement. "Wherever you can go downtown during the work day can now be accessed by using the EmGo app and then riding in an electric vehicle to get you there and back."

The service area is from Fifth Avenue to 13th Avenue, and from Charnelton Street to High Street, according to LTD. There will be 70 pickup locations scattered throughout the downtown area, as well as an EmGo stop near the Federal Courthouse at 405 E. Eighth Ave.

The app, called TransLoc, can be downloaded at http://translocrider.com

LTD has joined with the city of Eugene, Lane County, the Lane Council of Governments and RideZero, a local company, to provide the on-demand ride service.

There will be five electric cars in the EmGo fleet. Each holds five passengers. Built by Polaris, EmGo cars are powered by a 48-volt battery and have a top speed of 25 mph. The cars can cover nearly 70 miles before needing a battery recharge.

Each EmGo car costs $40,000 and LTD used a grant from the state of Oregon to purchase four of the cars. RideZero is providing the fifth car.

"We're excited about EmGo and how it could transform how we get to work, stores and restaurants in downtown," Eugene City Manager Jon Ruiz said in a statement. "More electric vehicles on the road helps cut carbon emissions and gets us closer to our Climate Recovery Ordinance goals."

The EmGo cars could ease parking and traffic congestion downtown, according to officials with the agencies involved with the project. "We have seen a growing strain on parking in downtown Eugene for employees and visitors alike," Lane County Administrator Steve Mokrohisky said in a statement. "The EmGo pilot is a unique and exciting opportunity to test a welcoming, green, on-demand service that encourages people to explore downtown."

Follow Dylan Darling on Twitter @DylanJDarling. Email dd@registerguard.com.