NC: SouthPark Skipper takes off. Could microtransit like this work throughout Charlotte?

Across SouthPark’s commercial core you may see cars wrapped in baby blue picking people up from a day of shopping at the mall, their hotel at Piedmont Town Center, or lunch at one of the many restaurants at Phillips Place.

These aren’t Ubers or Lyfts, but a fleet of Tesla Model Xs with swinging butterfly doors that are a part of SouthPark’s free microtransit service called the SouthPark Skipper.

The program — currently in its pilot stage — launched last November under the direction of SouthPark Community Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to economic development in the neighborhood’s commercial core.

The SouthPark Skipper has quickly amassed a large ridership — averaging between 4,000 and 5,000 rides a month. The program was birthed out of listening sessions with the community to help the nonprofit form its 2035 vision plan.

“In SouthPark, we’re not going to have light rail, we’re not going to have streetcars, the options are much more limited,” Adam Rhew, CEO of SouthPark Community Partners said. “For us, it’s about this multi modal future where you will probably use your car to get to SouthPark, but can we incentivize you to park once and then use the Skipper to walk on the SouthPark loop, to use a bike lane to get around within the district while you’re here.”

As Charlotte prepares to vote on a one-cent sales tax for transit this November, the introduction of microtransit into the Charlotte Area Transit System’s footprint has faced both praise and skepticism.

While the Skipper program has succeeded in SouthPark, transit advocates say the hyper-localized effort can’t be used as an indicator of how well microtransit will perform countywide if voters approve the tax this fall. Factors such as geographic footprint, cost and more set the Skipper apart.

“It may be successful in this particular area where there’s very low residential folks, and they’re probably a little bit higher income. But it’s all about the business,” Eric Zaverl, an urban design specialist for Sustain Charlotte, said. “... It’s not by any means a representative of the rest of Charlotte.”

About the Skipper program

The Skipper program was birthed out of SouthPark residents’ desire to “park once” but have another option to move around and explore all the area has to offer.

The program launched on November 15, 2024. Its fleet consists of six cars — five Tesla Model Xs and one Toyota Sienna which is ADA compliant.

The money comes from tax revenue generated through the SouthPark Municipal Service District. Formed in 2022, the district levies a 4-cent per $100 valuation tax on commercial and multifamily buildings.

SouthPark Community Partners budgeted $460,000 for the program in its first year. This is largely to fund driver salaries, Rhew said, and allows passengers to ride for free. The nonprofit’s board approved the program to continue.

“What people want SouthPark (to be) is a walkable, energetic community where people connect and businesses thrive. And so that means it’s a place where people live, work and play. Where it’s easy to get from point A to point B. Maybe not using your car, or maybe using your car sometimes. That ‘park once’ idea is really central to that,” Rhew said.

The program is run by an organization called Freebee. Freebee, headquartered in Miami, Florida, is a microtransit company that operates in 55 markets across the nation.

Clients can hail a ride in the Freebee app from anywhere within SouthPark’s one-square mile service district. In the first nine months, the program has completed more than 27,000 rides and 36,000 passengers. And it has attracted customers across various age ranges and purposes.

Of the 36,400+ passengers served since last November: 35% were between the ages of 21-34, 29% were 35-50 and 29% were 51 and older. The majority use the Skipper to go dining and shopping, or to commute to and from work. Others use it to get groceries, go to the doctor or travel from their hotels.

Rhew attributes much of the success to creating a consistent, dependable and friendly service within a small area. When hailing a Skipper, riders wait no longer than 8 minutes. And the small fleet allows for frequent riders to really get to know their drivers and build relationships.

“I think that level of personal service is really special, and we’re able to do that because we have such a tight geography — a square mile. That gets harder and harder to do when you’re serving a bigger area,” he said.

Does the Skipper signal future microtransit success in CLT?

If voters pass the transit tax this November, it will help fund the expansion of microtransit across Charlotte. CATS Micro — currently being piloted in north Mecklenburg County — is part of the “Better Bus” plan, a $3.8 billion initiative to improve the bus system over the next 30 years. CATS Micro’s primary function is to provide “first mile, last mile” transportation to the nearest bus or train stop or to a destination of a rider’s choosing within a given zone.

CATS CEO Brent Cagle previously told the Charlotte Observer that microtransit is an enhancement to the bus system and will not replace bus routes even if the program becomes popular. But the replacement of four bus routes in north Mecklenburg County for microtransit this summer sparked concern among some residents and advocates.

While the SouthPark Skipper has seen success in its one-square mile footprint, advocates say the program can’t be looked at to predict the success of a larger microtransit expansion across the county.

The programs are different in two ways that make them difficult to compare, Robert Dawkins of Action NC said — geographic footprint and cost.

The Skipper program lends itself to convenience riders and is paid for in-house, Dawkins said. Meanwhile, the CATS system will also serve “captive riders” — those who use public transit because they are without other options.

When it comes to “captive riders,” the chances of microtransit enhancing their commute is “50-50,” Dawkins said.

“Getting to work 10 minutes earlier is great for your job. It’s not transformational for you, and that’s what they keep selling (us) on,” Dawkins said. “So if I’m poor and I make 12 bucks an hour, yes, you freed up some more of my time to get to work by 10 minutes, but that didn’t change my life.”

Because Charlotte is car-dependent, future public transportation enhancements have to focus on efficiency, Zaverl said. With a larger footprint, this means creating priority lanes and other options to get people moving.

“If you try to implement (microtransit) beyond that last mile and connecting folks with transit, then you’re just going to have all these microtransit cars stuck in traffic. People aren’t going to get anywhere,” he said. “... You have to give them priority. They have to be able to go beyond this stuff. Their cars are stuck in transit because you’re moving more people. It’s all about efficiency, really.”

Rhew said he hopes his organization eventually can expand the Skipper to connect to things like the airport or the Blue Line without compromising the program’s efficiency.

“Mobility looks really different here than it does in other parts of our community,” he said.