GEST, in partnership with meetNKY, is launching a new route between Covington and Newport with the goal of expanding connectivity.
GEST cart is an entirely electric, on-demand transportation service connecting people to hotels, restaurants, entertainment districts and other key locations. Currently, the GEST cart operates throughout downtown Cincinnati, in addition to connecting Covington to the Queen City across the Roebling Bridge.
Going forward, folks in Covington and Newport will be able to use the GEST app to hail a cart in order to cross the Ohio River into Cincinnati, then return to either city. GEST will help mitigate the loss of travel accommodations between Covington and Newport due to the KY 8 Licking River Bridge replacement project.
Each cart is operated by a driver ambassador trained to provide exceptional customer service. Rides are free and gratuity-based.
“meetNKY is proud to power this service to strengthen access across Northern Kentucky’s river cities,” meetNKY CEO Julie Kirkpatrick said in a news release. “Making it easy for visitors to move seamlessly between destinations in our region is essential to the overall experience and plays a critical role in supporting not only visitors but our residents and local businesses that make this place such a unique place to experience.”
The new routes will feature four branded carts highlighting tourism experiences between Covington and Newport. Dubbed the ‘NKY Connector,’ the fleet includes the Barrel Buggy, Shark Shuttle, Roebling Rover and Clive Cab designs.