STORY by STEVE TRAIMAN | Photos by Freebee
Residents and businesses in St. Pete Beach have been fortunate to have had access to both Free Island Hopper and Free Beach Ride service for the past 10 years.
In December, this free option will be expanded when Miami-based Freebee micro-transit electric vehicle service will replace the portion of the CAT Circulator Trolley service from the Don Cesar south through the Pass-a-Grille neighborhood.
Local resident Dave Green opened Free Beach Ride in early 2009. Designed to give back to the community, the service was created to provide a safe, free transportation option for visitors and residents. The service operates daily from 8am to 3pm with a call to 727-776-7553.
In 2009, the company opened with just a few golf carts, serving only St. Pete Beach and Pass-A-Grille. As popularity for the service increased, vans were added to meet customer needs, providing a safer and more comfortable form of transportation.
Free Island Hopper is a free shuttle service that owns four 7-passenger minivans that operate from Pass-A-Grille – mile marker 0, to 150th Ave in Madeira Beach – mile marker 9 ½, including all of Treasure Island. Opened in December 2009 and owned and operated by Lisa Tubbert, it operates daily from 8am to 2am with a call to 727-217-6935.
Freebee Ride Background
Managing partner Jason Spiegel was one of the Ride Freebee founders and told Paradise News that Freebee launched in 2012 on South Beach as a slightly different business model. “Key Biscayne was first to contract us for electric vehicle service, followed by Coral Gables, Miami Lakes, Coconut Grove, Islamorada, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay, Doral, Delray Beach and Miami Beach.“With transportation changing across the world, we’re very excited that St. Pete Beach is our first West Coast location for electric vehicle service and that it’s coming here. On the back end is our unique pick-up algorithm that maximizes vehicle occupancy and delivers the lowest cost to the community.
”We believe not only that this new transport solution that will revolutionize St. Pete Beach but we also partner with local businesses that offers them free advertising on the Ride Freebee app that is broadcast on the video screen in each vehicle for local passengers.
“We look forward to having our first electric Ride Freebeevehicle in St. Pete Beach this December.”
Freebee on St. Pete Beach
The St. Pete Beach City Commission City recently unanimously agreed to enter into a contract with Miami-based Freebee, which operates under the name Ride Freebee, to provide transit service currently handled by Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority trolleys.
Starting with one 5-passenger electric low-speed vehicle that is wheelchair accessible, the service in December will replace PSTA’s Central Trolley service, initially operating daily from 8am to 8pm. Operating a flex route through Pass-a-Grille from the Don CeSar Hotel down to 1st Avenue, it will be able to deviate from the route for on-demand trip requests,which will pick up and drop off riders closer to their origin/destination.
Freebee has a mobile app platform that allows riders to track vehicles in real time and request rides through the app. In addition, rides can be requested by flag down or by phone. The Freebee service also acts as a great economic development tool as it allows local businesses to promote their services via the Places to Bee or the Freebee Deals section of the app, with a video monitor viewable by all riders.
As a “going green” advocate, Freebee fully supports using clean energy to operate its program, so when you ride Freebee, you too become a part of the solution in the efforts to reduce carbon emissions from our beautiful local neighborhoods.
Contract value for the Freebee services is $794,174 for three years ($264,725 annually), with two one-year extensions or about $264,725 a year. The service cost is about $132, 000 annually to operate one vehicle. Freebee offers a vehicle marketing campaign program, where they split 50/50 of any sponsorship revenues they receive through this program, which helps to further reduce the cost of the services. Freebee expects to generate annually about $24,000 in sponsorship revenues per vehicle, which will bring the City an additional $12,000, bringing annual cost down to about $120,000.
St. Pete Beach plans to start the micro-transit operations with one vehicle and will adjust the fleet and hours, as data and community feedback is collected during the first six months. Starting this service with one vehicle will keep the City within the savings range being received from the PSTA trolley service.
The City will save about $150,000 annually from cancelling the PSTA Trolley Service to Pass-a-Grill. City Manager Alex Rey told Paradise News, “SPB has the option to add a second vehicle from the savings as PSTA gradually cuts back on service to the rest of the community.” He was familiar with Freebee as he helped bring it to Miami Lakes while he was City Manager there, and it was very well accepted.
SPB Officials Comment
Focusing on the new service, Mayor Al Johnson told Paradise News, “As the southernmost city of the Pinellas Barrier islands, by our nature as well as location we are a destination and not a thoroughfare. Thus mass transit like traditional bus or trolley service is not appropriate. However, we need to be connected by mass transit to “mainland” city locations in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa and beyond to mitigate traffic congestion issues and lack of public parking.
“The character of our City is one of an eclectic Gulf Coast beach town wrapped around a very large resort component. Tourism is our main industry and the tourists our resorts and restaurants bring support the other businesses we as residents enjoy year-round.
“I strongly believe that SPB needs to take responsibility for public transportation once the people are here , and that’s where micro-transit comes in. We are beginning that effort with our Pass-a-Grille community as this area is one of a residential beach community where a bus or trolley is very much out of place. Because of smaller roads and limited parking, electric-powered mini-busses will fit right in!“
The planned service will begin this December from the Don Cesar south to First Avenue, and if successful, we hope to expand to eventually service the majority of our City.
“The service will operate on a fixed/flexible route with on-demand capability, free to users. I’m hoping the nature of this service will foster an attitude in its users to take enjoyment in the journey as much as the destination!”
[Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Freebee Managing Partner Jason Spiegel, SPB Mayor Al Johnson & City Manager Alex Rey for their valuable input and comments.] [Feature Writer Steve Traiman is President of Creative Copy by Steve Traiman in St. Pete Beach, offering freelance business writing services. He can be reached via email at traimancreativecopy@gmail.com ]