A new era for public transit in Brownsville begins Saturday, when the city’s fixed Route 30 bus will be replaced by an on-demand ride-share pilot in partnership with Uber.

Beginning Friday, riders in the Route 30 service area, which spans the city’s southeast, can request an UberX or UberXL trip through the Uber app — or by phone — to travel anywhere within the designated zone.

See a map of the service zone for Route 30.

Trips that start and end inside the service boundary will be free of charge, paid for jointly by the city of Brownsville and Cameron County.

“This partnership represents a new chapter in how we think about public transportation,” said Gennie Garcia, director of Brownsville Metro. “By combining innovation with accessibility, we’re expanding mobility options for our community and making it easier for residents to get where they need to go.”