Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
SALEM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Salem Skipper, an on-demand ridesharing service for the price of $2, is coming to an end after first launching in 2020.
Salem Mayor Dominic Pangallo says the program is ending because the state legislature changed a law surrounding funding that relied on cannabis dispensary fees, making those funds no longer available.
"We lost access to that funding, and since then it's really been supported through a series of one-time grants, earmarks, federal grants, ARPA funds," Pangallo said.
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Having recorded over 600,000 rides, the service has been a big hit with customers, so much so that a grassroots movement has been launched, with people encouraged to call the mayor's office and city councilors.
"We're looking at ways to try to keep the program going longer or be able to bring it back when those funds do expire," the mayor said.
Pangallo said he was not surprised that there's a movement to get people to call his office and fellow city councilors to find a way to keep the service going past August when funding runs out. He noted it costs $2.5 to $3 million a year to operate.
WBZ NewsRadio’s James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.
