CRA board members discussed early operational experience and anecdotal driver reports from Freebie, the microtransit service that now operates jointly for Bradenton and Palmetto. Board members urged staff to collect and analyze ridership and routing data as part of a six-month data-collection period already under way with the City of Palmetto.

A board member described personal experience using Freebie and said the app sometimes assigns drivers who detour through nearby Palmetto grocery stores before traveling into Bradenton, producing long wait times during peak hours. “The ride wait time in the morning … jumps from less than 10 minutes to 45,” the board member said, noting she watched assigned drivers travel by multiple grocery stores before reaching her pickup point.

Board members and staff said Freebie is in a six-month data-collection phase for the joint service with Palmetto and that the company typically will provide adjustments in response to data. CRA staff said the microtransit operator can provide data to the city and that staff are considering using aggregated trip data in pitches to potential grocery developers to demonstrate demand patterns.

The board also discussed incentive ideas for developers, including a multimobility incentive that could tie a developer’s participation in the Freebie system to CRA incentive payments. CRA staff described scenarios where a developer partnering on Freebie or other mobility measures could receive scaled incentives based on project size and number of units.

Board members discussed broader concepts such as using a park-and-ride model with a circulator (a dedicated vehicle) for downtown commuters or employees and noted potential operational and right-of-way coordination with police and public works would be necessary for any dedicated circulator lanes or guaranteed access.

CRA staff said the data-collection period will provide the baseline for adjustments and that staff will follow up with Freebie and Palmetto to request usage data for analysis and potential use in developer incentives and grocery-site pitches.