FL: FreeBee minivans to travel Seminole roads in place of most Lynx buses — but it might cost more

After recently deciding to ditch most Lynx bus routes over cost and ridership, Seminole commissioners Tuesday voted unanimously to hire microtransit service FreeBee to shuttle riders around the county — but the move raises the prospect that passengers may be asked to pay more than they have under the existing bus service.

County leaders hailed the decision as a big day in Seminole history — with one commissioner calling the door-to-door service “such a big turning point” for mass transit in Central Florida.

“I think this is a great first step,” Commission Chair Jay Zembower said. “But this is not a government-funded replacement for your Uber or Lyft rides.

“It was never our intention to compete with the private sector...But the model is broken when it comes to mass transportation using buses.”

County officials anticipate FreeBee to be fully operating by Jan. 1, but many details must be worked out before the on-demand service hits Seminole roads. Those include fares, annual cost to the county and how far residents will be able to travel in a FreeBee electric van. It would not be offered in the county’s eastern rural area where Lynx doesn’t provide service.

The cost to the county for FreeBee service would depend on how many vehicles are used. For 35 vans it would cost nearly $4.9 million the first year — with a $100,000 start-up cost. For 55 the cost jumps to nearly $7.8 million annually.

FreeBee proposed fares of up to $4 per passenger and $1 more for each additional rider per trip. By comparison, most single-ride fares on Lynx are $2. Discounts would be available for FreeBee passengers younger than 18, older than 65 and those with disabilities.

Pointing out that FreeBee fares could end up more expensive than Lynx, Commissioner Lee Constantine said he didn’t want it becoming unaffordable to residents who’ve long relied on the Orlando-based Lynx.

“I want to make sure that folks who have no other choice other than Lynx are going to be put in the same position as they are with Lynx financially,” Constantine said.

Here’s how FreeBee service would work: A Sanford resident wanting to go to the Altamonte Mall, for example, would request by app or phone call a FreeBee van that seats six to pick them up at their home. The van would drive them to the Sanford SunRail station to catch a train to the Altamonte station, where a FreeBee vehicle would take them to the mall. The customer would likely end up paying fares for the first van, the train and the second van but those specifics need to negotiated.

If a Seminole rider wants a trip to downtown Orlando or Winter Park, FreeBee would take them to the nearest SunRail station. On any trip, vans could make stops to pick up other riders along the way.

Miami-based FreeBee has operated in Kissimmee since March 2023, when city commissioners decided to replace the fixed-route Lynx Circulator buses with point-to-point service that shuttles riders to businesses, employers and the SunRail station.

Data shows that in its first month there FreeBee had 394 passengers, but in January it had 2,186 riders — a more than fivefold increase from its inception. In Kissimmee, the FreeBee service is free to passengers.

City spokeswoman Alibeth Suarez said by email that because of its success, the service was expanded in April 2024 to include commercial areas west of John Young Parkway.

Lynx is not leaving Seminole entirely. The county agreed to continue its most heavily-used routes near the Orange County border — including along portions of State Road 436, and U.S. highways 441 and 17-92. Lynx also will continue its paratransit service for low-income and elderly riders along with those who have physical or mental disabilities.

Seminole commissioners have long criticized Lynx as inefficient and not worth the $17 million cost for this year. They said they often see the 40-foot-long Lynx buses with few or no passengers.

County projections last month estimated the number of Lynx riders in Seminole at between 3,500 and 4,200 on weekdays. But Lynx officials said their 2024 data showed an average weekday ridership of 6,644. Lynx has charged Seminole based on number of routes and frequency of service the county requests.

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