Last week at the annual West Palm Beach State of the City address, Mayor Keith James spoke about the amazing progress being made around the City. He spoke of “Transformation through togetherness, and elevation through collaboration.” This week, the Palm Beach TPA will host the Safe Streets Summit - an annual conference put on in collaboration with the Broward County MPO and the Miami Dade TPO. It’s a regionally connected approach that’s become South Florida's premier active transportation and mobility conference. It’s always an event I look forward to, and with West Palm Beach hosting it this year, it hits close to home. West Palm Beach is on the rise, and it’s not just growing; it’s innovating. Our city is using collaboration to drive this and setting an example for mobility solutions in Cities all over the region.
With growth, however, come challenges like traffic and parking congestion—problems faced by every major city. But instead of falling behind, West Palm Beach is standing out. As a downtown resident, I feel like I’m living in the epicenter of a mobility innovation ecosystem. From Brightline to Bike Valets, the City of West Palm is evolving in the right direction with some amazing people, companies, and organizations building options for the community and using technologies to make downtown more walkable, safe, and connected. And it’s not just around downtown; there are a number of new plans and initiatives, like the TPA’s 561 Plan and Palm Tran’s express services, to help connect the region and improve options in and out of downtown.
Most importantly, riders are using the services! Over the past year, the City and the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) have made significant strides in advancing mobility: introducing RideWPB, expanding on-demand access, streamlining fixed route services, creating the WPBGo mobility coalition, and collectively improving on what’s already one of the most efficient and innovative mobility systems in the country.
I’ll admit I’m biased, but I’m also a fortunate user of these services. As someone who both helps lead Circuit and lives Downtown, I see firsthand how transformative this service has been for our riders and the community. Having worked with dozens of cities across the country on transportation solutions, I can confidently say what’s happening in West Palm Beach is special. Circuit (formerly The Free Ride) has played a key role in WPB’s mobility evolution. We’ve served the community over the past decade; working closely with the DDA for several years, we’ve collected data and feedback from residents, workers, and visitors. Last year, the City launched a pilot program with a modified fixed route using electric vans and expanded on-demand services (ridewpb.com). The on-demand services have become a critical element of the city’s transportation landscape. The service is ridden by thousands (~13k per month), is 100% electric, and is staffed by safe, local employee drivers who have become a part of the downtown community.
Public transit isn’t profitable, but it remains one of the best investments a city can make. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), every dollar invested in public transit generates five dollars in economic returns - boosting business activity, reducing congestion, creating jobs, and making cities more accessible.
Efficiency is key, and Circuit has worked with the City to deliver efficient services. Our hybrid model - blending fixed routes with on-demand services - moves nearly twice the number of riders as the old fixed-route trolley, and at a lower cost. About ⅓ of our riders pool trips, a critical factor in reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMTs). While other cities have struggled with costly and underused microtransit programs, West Palm Beach stands out. DOT data shows that similar on-demand services in Florida operate at more than six times the cost per rider compared to WPB’s program (transportation.gov).
People are loving these services. A WPB rider survey found that 95% think “Circuit is a good addition to the community,” and over 80% state that it “helps them drive less.” That high demand reduces the overall cost per rider and helps the City maximize the value of its investment.
Free systems, on the other hand, can also become victims of their own success. And I get it. I use the service, and when it’s busy, the long wait times can be a challenge. But these challenges stem from a good problem—an overused, highly in-demand service. Circuit has continuously improved its technology, vehicles, and data to better serve the community. The recent addition of a low-cost fare already appears to be a good one. The City aimed to help reduce cancellations and improve wait times, and it worked. We’ve seen wait times fall by upwards of 20% and cancellations drop even more. People always like Free but from the feedback and data (over 70% of riders surveyed stated they’d pay a fare), it’s showing that most would rather have a $2-3 fare in exchange for shorter wait times.
A final point: while many cities talk about the value of public-private partnerships, few achieve them in practice. West Palm Beach has. Circuit has successfully partnered with the DDA and private companies to fund services that both directly and indirectly help the city. Working with groups like Brightline, The Ben, The Hilton, AKA, Parkline, and advertising partners, we’ve increased the supply of vehicles downtown. Circuit has also partnered with a local operator, Rose Trolley, for part of its on-demand services. This is a model that’s often discussed but rarely implemented, and it’s one more reason West Palm Beach stands out.
The City is an age of mobility innovation. Demand is high, utilization is strong, costs are low, and the results make me proud to live here and be a part of it. In the last year, West Palm Beach has made more progress than many cities have in decades, and collaboration is making it possible. The region is proving that mobility innovation is possible at scale. With strong public-private partnerships, smart transit investments, and a city that listens to its residents, we are setting the standard for other cities to follow. The progress we’ve made in just one year is remarkable—and it’s only the beginning. Mr. Mayor, it’s an amazing time to be in West Palm Beach, and transPORTation through togetherness is working too.
