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St. Pete Beach staff propose $3 nonresident Freebee fare, advertising to offset costs
Summary
City staff presented a proposal to charge nonresidents $3 per trip on the Freebee on-demand shuttle and to sell advertising to recover operating costs; staff said residents would remain free but must preregister and that changes would return to the commission for formal approval.
City staff on Monday outlined a proposal to begin charging nonresidents a $3 fare per trip on the Freebee on-demand shuttle while keeping service free for preregistered St. Pete Beach residents.
The proposal, presented by Mandy Edmonds, acting recreation director, would require residents to preregister at the St. Pete Beach Community Center with name, address, phone, email and two proofs of residency that would be renewed annually. Staff estimated 2025 ridership at about 105,000 boardings, assumed a 10 percent decline from 2024 because of hurricane impacts, and estimated roughly half of riders are nonresidents. Based on those assumptions city staff estimated annual fare revenue to be about $146,000; staff cautioned that the estimate does not account for a potential drop in nonresident trips if fares are imposed.
Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said the changes are aimed at improving resident access to a service funded by local tax dollars and at recovering costs after reductions in other transit support and storm-related expenses. Staff also proposed selling advertising space on Freebee vehicles and in the Freebee portal to generate additional revenue.
Staff details and timeline Mandy Edmonds said the implementation period after commission approval would likely be about 30 to 60 days for fares and 60 to 90 days for advertising to begin generating revenue. The proposed resident preregistration would require in-person verification at the community center or at outreach events, and the resident account information in the Freebee portal must match verification documents at the time of ride.
On advertising, staff described three procurement approaches — local advertisers, national brands, or a mixed approach — and estimated a city revenue range of roughly $30,000 to $72,000 per year from ads. Staff reported one committed sponsorship of approximately $3,000 for a three-month advertisement. Freebee will submit potential advertising contracts for city approval under guidelines the commission establishes.
Public feedback and staff answers Residents and business owners who spoke at the workshop raised operational and fairness questions. Suggestions included allowing residents already registered for parking permits to be automatically enrolled to avoid duplicate paperwork; capping a single-party fare to keep rides affordable for small groups; and technical fixes to Freebee’s routing algorithm so drivers can match trips more usefully.
Julie Fuller, a resident, asked whether the city’s payments to the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) previously reduced Freebee costs; staff explained PSTA funding covered prior trolley service and that the city’s reduced PSTA contract has offset some costs but did not eliminate the local subsidy.
Implementation constraints and next steps Staff said the fare and advertising changes would be brought back to the commission if the city wants a contract amendment with Freebee’s vendor; the presentation was explicitly a listening session and no vote was taken. Staff will incorporate public suggestions and return with a formal recommendation and, if the commission directs, a contract amendment to authorize the fares and advertising.
Ending note Staff emphasized that this workshop is one step in a multistep process; any fare or advertising program would require commission approval before taking effect.
