Free Rides For All

The city of Miami continues to grow and expand at an exponential rate, and its transportation systems are forced to adapt and evolve with it. Though apps such as Uber or Lyft are rapidly gaining popularity because of their convenience and safety, the price tag a ride often carries is off putting. In an effort to make clean, safe and convenient public transport available to the masses, the City of Coral Gables has begun funding FreeBee: a free, battery-powered shuttle service. Freebee is a transport service which utilizes electric shuttles that can be tracked and called like an Uber ride, to provide public transport around specific areas of Miami.

The shuttles can be ordered in some of the busiest spots in Miami including Coral Gables, Key Biscayne and Miami Beach. The shuttles are compact vehicles which are open-air and operated by a FreeBee employee. Ordering a Freebee ride is simple and similar to other transportation apps.

First, the passenger must download the “Ride Freebee” app onto their smartphone. Then, one clicks the “Request a Pickup” button and sets their pickup location to where they currently are. Next, the passenger sets their destination by either inputting an address or using Freebee’s list of recommended locations to go. Finally, the amount of passengers is selected and the user presses “Send to Driver” to request the ride.

 Not only are the shuttles available in crowded tourist areas where traffic is at a standstill, they have also become popular in locations undergoing construction, such as Miracle Mile.

“In Coral Gables the current construction makes it difficult to maneuver around the Miracle Mile area and Freebee’s vehicles are perfect for getting people where they need to go in this busy region. All over Miami there are parking and connectivity issues. Freebee’s goal has been to help fix this problem by getting cars off the road and efficiently transporting people directly to their destinations. I’m proud to say that we also help to minimize drinking and driving,” Business Manager Matt Friedmann said.

Freebee also provides something their competition cannot: their green thumb. Freebee shuttles are 100% battery powered, producing no pollution or carbon emissions. Because of this, the company is part of the Miami Climate Action Plan, which innovates new ways to decrease pollution and climate damage in the city.

Freebee was founded by former University of Miami students Jason Spiegel and Kris Kimball, who noticed the concept of their company in other cities and saw the perfect fit it could be in Miami. Beginning with six shuttles, Freebee continues to grow, now employing 40 shuttles. A few years ago, Freebee introduced its “Ride Freebee” app, making the shuttles much more accessible to the public. The company prides itself in its dedicated employees and modern, luxurious shuttles.

“We knew we could make Freebee into a very reliable, convenient and fun transportation option. We’ve continued to upgrade our vehicles each year to make them more luxurious and comfortable to ride. We have TV monitors in all the Freebee’s, the selfie [cameras] on the iPads installed in the dashboards of our vehicles, and all of the most up to date safety features. Our friendly and outgoing brand ambassador drivers are employees of our company and are trained to provide excellent guest experiences during the rides,” Friedmann said.

Aside from merely benefiting the customer, Freebee extends its reach of benefiting the Miami community by offering businesses a unique opportunity. With a few simple steps, companies can work with Freebee to advertise themselves on the shuttles. Freebee drivers are also trained to be brand ambassadors and the company often teams up with small businesses for promotions.  These partnerships keep Freebee running while helping the local economy flourish.

Freebee offers the next step in public transportation and fits in well to the busy and vibrant Miami scene. While providing safe, free and green transportation, they invest in the community around them as their brand continues to grow. In the years to come, it can be expected that more and more electric shuttles will soon be filling the streets.