Starting next week, soldiers and families at Fort Carson will be able to try out a free, on-demand transit program similar to Uber and Lift.

Called the Carson Connector, the app-based program will allow people on post to schedule shuttle rides directly to their intended destination. The service replaces the post’s previous shuttle system, which was more akin to a bus service with predefined routes and stops.

“We found that we just didn’t have the ridership that we wanted,” said Dave Tookmanian, garrison strategic community liaison at Fort Carson.

The concept is relatively new to military installations. In 2024, Fort Hood launched the Cavazos Connector, a similar free rideshare. Mike Simler, manager of the Carson Connector, said that the change from a fixed route to on-demand shuttles increased ridership at the Texas base from 3,000 to 500,000 per year.

The city of Fountain is running the new Fort Carson program, part of an intergovernmental agreement in which the city is reimbursed with federal dollars. The Carson Connector fleet has nine vans, two of which are outfitted to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The program will let riders request two destinations off post: Pikes Peak State College and a stop near the Venetucci Boulevard Walmart. Both stops serve as connections to other bus systems.

“If a soldier or family member wanted to hook up with other mass transit systems, they could easily do that,” Tookmanian said.

QR codes on the back of shuttles lead to the app download. Once installed, the app allows users to schedule rides from hundreds of pickup points. Similar to other ride-share apps, users will be able to see the driver’s name, while drivers will see the names of passengers.

Nahida Arevalo, a Carson Connector driver and Army spouse, said that the service will help young soldiers and families without ready access to a vehicle get where they need to go.

“My spouse was at a point in time when he didn’t have a car on post and had to get rides from other people,” she said. “It’s a little bit difficult having to rely on others.”

The program will soft launch Tuesday, the day after Memorial Day, with full service planned by June 1. More information and app download links can be found at the city of Fountain website.