GIFT is coming back to Idaho Falls to provide public transportation

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Public transportation has returned to the streets of Idaho Falls. The Greater Idaho Falls Transit system has announced a two year deal to provide micro transit to those who need it.

Micro transit is a system that has vans that provide passengers free rides. The system will allow riders to schedule their transit request via phone call, phone app or off of their website. This means there are no preset routes for these vans to run and they can go anywhere within city limits that you request.

GIFT will be cooperatively overseen by the City of Idaho Falls and the Idaho Transportation Department. They are together looking for a third party provider to be able to be responsible for the system itself.

This system is being paid by the pilot project from the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) which was $5 million given to the ITD for urban transportation. This money should fully reimburse the entire operation for two years and it should be no extra cost for the taxpayer.

The GIFT board chairman, Michelle Ziel-Dingman, said this ridesharing program should also help to reduce carbon emissions and is looking forward to having this program back within Idaho Falls.