Grove residents, public transit riders and tourists have a new way to get around the Grove – and it’s free (for a limited time).
A new rideshare program called Circuit has launched in Coconut Grove, providing free or low-cost rides to anywhere in the neighborhood, including right to your doorstep.
“Circuit adds another layer of accessibility and convenience within Coconut Grove,” Mark Burns, executive director of the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District, told the Spotlight. Burns joined Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday to mark the launch of the service.
The new rideshare program, which will cost the Coconut Grove BID and the City of Miami approximately $50,000 a month to operate, is intended to alleviate the pressure on Center Grove parking and reduce congestion on the neighborhood’s busiest streets.
“If residents and visitors can park once, use transit, or avoid short-distance car trips, that naturally helps improve accessibility for everyone,” Burns said.
The new service will also cater to Metrorail riders, including local residents and tourists, by bridging the gap between the Center Grove and the neighborhood’s three Metrorail stations – on Douglas Road, on SW 27th Avenue, and at Vizcaya.
“I think a lot of people will be using the connections from Metrorail, which will have a huge impact,” Circuit partner Jason Bagley said.
“I know residents who don’t own a car, who are looking forward to taking this to the grocery store for their essential needs and then just for leisure trips,” he added.
The car service will operate across the entire neighborhood – from the South Grove to just before the Rickenbacker Causeway, reaching all three Metrorail stations.
To request a ride, users can download the app and enter a pickup and drop-off location within the service area. And yes, this can include your home address.
The program will be free for the first three months. After the initial rollout, the program will charge a fee of $2 per rider, with a goal of keeping wait times under 10 minutes.
“There’s a ton of demand when it’s free, so that leads to long wait times, which leads to people not being able to connect and get a ride,” Bagley said. “The nominal fare model enables us to be more efficient and provide more rides.”
Rides will continue to be complimentary for seniors (65 and over) and for those making trips connecting to Metrorail stations or Miami Parking Authority lots.
Circuit will roll out five vehicles to start – three golf cart models to service the Center Grove and two electric Volkswagen ID Buzz buses that will run between the three Metrorail stations and the neighborhood.
The fleet may be expanded, depending on demand, Bagley said. For now, Circuit expects to accommodate between 4,000 and 7,000 riders per month in the Grove.
Circuit is an all-electric vehicle shuttle service launched in 2011 in East Hampton, New York, with the joint goal of cutting down traffic while providing an environmentally friendly transit option at a low price point.
The service has been introduced in several South Florida cities since then, and now provides service to tens of thousands of people per month.
In Pompano Beach, for example, Bagley said Circuit moved over 10,100 riders on 5,107 rides in one 30-day period, with a 49% pooled ride rate – equating to more than 2,500 avoided car trips.
Bagley said the service can reduce congestion around popular destinations, which is often exacerbated by single-rider services like Uber and Lyft, or by local drivers who circle the Grove in search of parking.
“One of the biggest traffic generators downtown is somebody looking for parking. This is 100% eliminating that,” Bagley said. “We’re getting them out of the car and quickly getting on to the next trip.”
Another perk of a Circuit ride: a built-in tour guide. The company’s “drive ambassadors” are expected to be local guides for those visiting from outside the neighborhood.
“We want people that can give good recommendations,” Bagley said. “The goal is to hire from within the communities that we’re serving. They know it better than anybody.”
Unlike Uber or Lyft, which operate on an individual contractor model, Circuit employees are in the same location every day.
“They’ll know the spots that are safe to load and unload, and they’ll get to know that community,” Bagley said. “There’s a big benefit to that.”
Bringing Circuit to the Grove has been a two-year process, with the launch delayed for months as it worked its way through city and county approvals.
“This is something we know our residents have been asking about for two years,” Pardo said at Monday’s ribbon-cutting event. “We couldn’t be more thrilled that finally our residents have this kind of on-demand service.”
The Circuit service is jointly funded by the BID and Pardo’s District 2 office. “The total cost is approximately $50,000 a month with the BID paying $20,000 a month, and the District 2 Office paying the remainder,” Burns said in an email.
Circuit’s services will run alongside Freebee, which launched a new fleet of vehicles in the Grove on Monday, April 27, in partnership with the Miami Parking Authority.
Unlike Circuit, Freebee will operate on a fixed route with 14 stops for riders – going as far east as Monty’s and as far west as the intersection of Grand Avenue and Hibiscus Street (learn more and download the Freebee app at this link.)
Burns said the two systems will complement each other.
“Circuit simply adds another transportation option. The goal is to complement existing mobility services and give residents and visitors more flexibility,” he said.
Like Circuit, Freebee utilizes the Volkswagen ID Buzz buses and requires riders to request a ride in their app. The service runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Circuit ride service will run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and extend until midnight on Friday. On Saturdays, Circuit will be available from 10 a.m to midnight, and on Sundays from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m.
