SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — There’s a relatively new and free way to get around South Lake Tahoe that came about as part of the deal for the new event center.
It’s called Lake Link and the micro-transit service turns one on July 22. Lake Link Director Scott Nelson says they’ve given over 130,000 rides to locals and visitors in just one year.
“It's about 12 square miles. We go from Al Tahoe Boulevard, which most people recognize as Denny's and Ross, all the way past the casinos to the sushi, pier, lake village area,” said Nelson.
He says their goal is to keep more cars off the road. They also plan to electrify their fleet in the next two years, as well as expand it in the future.
It's a private company paid for by public and private partnerships, and they serve locations across the country.
“Park City, Jackson Hole, Idaho Falls, every ski resort in Colorado, and we go all the way around the lake. We don't join services with our brothers and sisters in Incline, Tahoe City, all the way up to Tahoma, but we do serve the entire lake,” said Nelson.
You can use an app or call their customer service line to schedule a ride. Nelson and the team average about 400 rides a day and on big weekends like the Fourth of July, they had even more rides and increased the fleet size to accommodate more people.
On July 3, they did over 550 rides; and nearly 700 on July 4.
“Once you get to your resort of choice, you can park your car and use us. You might want to enjoy a couple of cocktails, have a nice dinner and whatnot. We can be your solution,” said Nelson.
To schedule a ride, download the Lake Link app or call the customer service line. They’re open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 10 p.m. on Fridays.
There is also a sister micro-transit service called TART Connect, which stands for Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transportation, which gives free rides in Truckee and the North Lake Tahoe region.
