Electric Whittier Cruisers help ease traffic and get people across town

WHITTIER, Calif. () — The city of Whittier has found a way to help ease traffic and help people get around town as it grows with new developments.

For the last eight months, six Whittier Cruisers have been zipping around town, picking people up and taking them to destinations within a designated service area.

“It goes from Palm Park on the west to the quad on the south to the hills on the north and everything in between, so the big destinations are uptown Whittier, we’ve got a great food court uptown and then to the Grove and Rodeo 72,” said Mayor Joe Vinatieri.

Mayor Vinatieri said the city needed to figure out a way to deal with traffic that came with new developments. Thanks to grants from LA Metro and the state, they were able to test it out with free rides at the beginning.

Bookings are made through the Circuit app. The average pickup time is no more than 8-10 minutes and city council members are loving what it provides for Whittier.

“If we can get members of our community out and about, able to engage, helping our local businesses, voting, making decisions, then anything we can do to enhance that, to me, is really important for the city to be doing,” council member Mary Ann Pacheco said.

“We are saving over 31,500 miles already, which is approximately 4,000 gallons of gasoline and this is one way we’re also combatting some of the traffic issues that we’re experiencing in our city,” said council member Octavio Martinez.

“I’ve ridden in it, yes, and it’s really fun,” council member Cathy Warner said.

Now, the council members said people in East Whittier want it, so they’re seeing how they can make that happen, as well.

The cruisers operate Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The cost is $3-6 per ride.

To book a trip, download the Circuit app.

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