Salem Skipper Shifts Schedule To Meet Demand

SALEM, MA — The Salem Skipper municipal ride-sharing shuttle service is shifting its schedule to meet demand in the city.

The new hours are intended to focus availability on times when there are high ride requests.

The new hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, 7 a.m. to midnight on Fridays, 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

The Salem Skipper program, which was unveiled in 2020, is a fleet of vans that provide low-cost rides around the city and nearby attractions in hopes of alleviating parking concerns and contributing to Salem becoming a "car-light community."

The Salem Skipper app is available on iPhone and Android devices, and the service can be reached at 844-983-1842. Riders will enter a desired pickup and drop-off address to book a ride and will receive vehicle information and an estimated pickup time and location.

The city said the program delivered 34,000 rides, covering about 18,000 miles, during its first full year.

Mayor Kim Driscoll said late last month that the city will direct $400,000 of its federal American Recovery Plan Act funding toward expanding the Salem Skipper program with more vehicles and more expansive routes.

That was part of $1.3 million in ARPA funds dedicated to car-alternative transportation initiatives in the city.

"Salem has long been on the forefront of pioneering and piloting new ways to reduce the number of private passenger vehicles on our roads," Driscoll said. "From our public ferry to our comprehensive bike infrastructure, and from our innovative on-demand shuttle to our extensive bike and car share programs, our goal is to make it easy for residents and visitors alike to get around Salem car-free or car-light."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)