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Biscayne Park to weigh ending Freebie paratransit deal as staff eyes reallocating CITT funds to roads
Summary
Village staff recommended exploring alternatives to the Freebie on-demand ride service, noting a $120,000 annual contract, low ridership, a high cancellation rate and per-ride costs that staff say are well above ride-hailing comparators; commissioners asked staff to return in May with options including reallocation of CITT funds to roadwork or transit infrastructure.
Village parks director Issa Thornell and the village manager presented data showing the Freebie on-demand service costs the village roughly $120,000 a year for a single vehicle with low ridership, and a high cancellation rate (staff reported 30% in the last quarterly statement). Issa said the village’s per-ride cost was “about $25” for short trips and that, in staff’s view, the service was not being fully utilized.
Issa described alternatives the county and staff discussed: restoring a MetroLink route that now serves the village, investing CITT funds in bus shelters and ADA landings at bus stops, or reallocating more CITT funding toward roads. Several commissioners noted Freebie does not supply child car seats (limiting use by families) and that cancellation and response-time issues had reduced reliance on the service.
The commission asked staff to bring back a May agenda item with a clear set of alternatives, fiscal comparisons and any county or Freebie proposals for contract changes. Staff said the Freebie contract is month-to-month but that CITT and interlocal-agreement timing requires careful notice if the village opts to cancel; staff will present a resolution and the data the commission requested at the May meeting.
