Long Beach Launches New Downtown Shuttle Service in Partnership with The Free Ride

The City of Long Beach announced the launch of a free shuttle service in downtown Long Beach. The new service, provided by The Free Ride (TFR), offers transportation around the downtown area using gas-free, electric vehicles.

“With the addition of programs like The Free Ride and EZparkLB, parking and transportation around the downtown is becoming a lot easier,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “The Free Ride makes it convenient for downtown residents and visitors to visit a variety of places and without being limited by parking availability.”

TFR offers free transport anywhere within its designated travel zone (5th Street to the north, Alamitos Avenue to the east, Shoreline Drive to the south, I-710 to the west).

“I am excited to say we continue to bring creative mobility ideals to parking impacted areas. We are thrilled to have The Free Ride in Long Beach and know it will be a huge benefit to the area,” said Councilmember Jeannine Pearce. “With upcoming events such as the Long Beach Grand Prix, Pride Week, and the AMGEN Tour of California, it is important we have efficient transportation in place to improve the experience for all who attend.”

Users can request a pick-up from anywhere within the shuttle’s travel zone by using The Free Ride application. The app is currently available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, or at www.thefreeride.com/app. The free shuttle will be operating daily, Sunday thru Wednesday, from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, and Thursday thru Saturday, from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm.

“I encourage our community members to take advantage of this free shuttle service for the next two months,” said Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez. “The Free Ride is going to lessen congestion and is a great addition of environmentally friendly vehicles to our city.”

During the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, special pick-up service will be provided on Friday and Saturday, April 13 and 14, from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, and on Sunday, April 15, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, at only one of the five following locations that will be marked with signage:

·         Long Beach Boulevard and East Broadway.

·         Long Beach Boulevard and Ocean Boulevard.

·         Ocean Boulevard and Pine Avenue.

·         West Broadway and Cedar Avenue.

·         West Seaside Way and Cedar Avenue.

·         City Place Garage C (East 3rd Street near Promenade).

Founded by James Mirras and Alex Esposito in 2011, The Free Ride is a free, electric, micro-transit solution. TFR uses fleets of nimble cars to fulfill the first-mile/last mile gaps that are experienced by municipalities around the world. The service is made possible by collaborating with municipal organizations, and executing innovative OOH/Experiential advertising campaigns with some of the world’s most recognizable brands. Since its inception, TFR has given over 2 million rides and expanded to 14 cities across New York, Florida, California, New Jersey and Texas. For more information on how to catch a ride or advertising opportunities head over to thefreeride.com.

“Downtown Long Beach is an evolving, urban waterfront and The Free Ride is thrilled to provide residents and visitors a free, reliable and eco-friendly way to experience all that downtown has to offer,” said Daniel Kramer, Partner at The Free Ride. “We hope that our service helps improve mobility in the area, reduces congestion and takes a step in the right direction for the environment.”

The free shuttle service is part of a two-month pilot program managed by the Department of Public Works, and is made possible through $100,000 from Prop A funding. At the end of the two-month pilot, the program will be evaluated and a decision will be made on whether to make it a permanent program.