Employees and students in the Medical District will soon have a new, free way to get around the area. Beginning Monday, the Memphis Medical District Collaborative (MMDC) in partnership with the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) will host a soft launch of the Groove Shuttle, a commuter shuttle running between Harbor Town and the Memphis Medical District.
It is free to employees and students with valid identification cards from medical and educational institutions in the Medical District. The shuttle will also be open to the public, who will pay standard MATA fare prices. It is funded by the MMDC and will be operated by MATA.
“We are excited to pilot this program with our soft launch,” said Lauren Crabtree, MMDC program manager. “The Groove Shuttle will make commuting to the Medical District easier and more convenient, and we look forward to greeting the first shuttle riders next week with promotional activities and giveaways during the mornings and afternoons.”
From August 5 to August 9 in the mornings, the MMDC will be at the Estates at River Pointe and Riverset Apartments, located at 1445 River Estates Drive and 100 Riverset Lane in Downtown Memphis. The organization will be offering coffee and doughnuts to riders at each location that Monday and Friday. In the afternoons, the MMDC will be at the Southern College of Optometry. Throughout the week, there will be small giveaways to coincide with the shuttle schedule. Full service will begin in September.
The schedule is Monday through Friday during peak commute hours of: 6:30 to 9.a.m. and 4 to 6:30 p.m.
The shuttle will launch officially in September, running in 15-minute intervals at five locations. They are:
• The Estates at River Pointe apartments – Front Entrance (Harbor Town)
• Riverset Apartments – Leasing Office (Harbor Town)
• A.W. Willis Avenue and 3rd Street (St. Jude campus)
• Madison Avenue and Dunlap Street (Dunlap Station Trolley Stop)
• Southern College of Optometry (Main Tower)
The service will not operate during weekends or on MATA-recognized holidays. For more information, please contact MMDC transportation program manager, Lauren Crabtree, at lcrabtree@mdcollaborative.org or 901.485.3682.