10,000 passengers opt for Virginia Beach free ride service in July
Whoever said there’s no such thing as a free ride hasn’t hopped in a Freebee at the Oceanfront.
The free shuttle service, launched in mid-June, has been popular for locals and tourists. Ten thousand passengers caught a ride in July, according to data provided to the city by Freebee and shared with members of the city’s Resort Advisory Commission at a meeting this week.
“Guests love it,” said John Zirkle, general manager of the Doubletree Hotel next to the Convention Center, at the meeting. “They don’t have to walk to the beach or find a parking spot.”
Freebee offers services in other resort beach towns along the East Coast, but Virginia Beach is off to a remarkable start, averaging 15-25% higher ridership than other comparable localities, according to company spokesperson John Janusz.
Resort area businesses have been benefiting from the shuttle service, according to B.J. Baumann, commission chairwoman and owner of Rockafeller’s Restaurant at Rudee Inlet.
“I love having Freebee drop somebody at my door,” Baumann said. “And people love the fact that those darn doors go up.”
Freebee is using five electric Tesla Model X vehicles for the one-year pilot program in Virginia Beach. The city is paying Freebee more than a half-million dollars. The cars feature falcon wing doors that open upward. The service is offered throughout the resort area, along part of General Booth Boulevard and west to Birdneck Road.
Passengers can request a ride through the Freebee app on their phones, by flagging down a driver or calling Freebee.
Janusz said people provide their zip code when they download the app and that more Virginia Beach residents than expected are using the service. The number was not provided in the data.
Of the 5,002 completed rides, 4,840 were booked on the app. Most of the passengers were between 21 and 34 years old.
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
