Freebee replaced Safe Ride’s six-year partnership with the University of Miami in August, becoming the new late-night, on-campus transportation option.
Safe Ride provides secure, easy-to-access transport nationwide. Freebee, founded by University of Miami graduates, offers a similar service.
“The Office of Parking and Transportation decided to partner with Freebee to improve micro-transit services for the University community and move away from the previous service, which was becoming outdated,” the Office of Parking and Transportation said in a statement to TMH.
In a month, Freebee has already made numerous trips in and outside campus.
“To date, Freebee has provided transportation for 396 passengers,” the Office of Parking and Transportation said.
This is already more than half of the 559 passengers Safe Ride had during 2023.
Although both companies provide nighttime transportation, some of the services offered differ.
Safe Ride used to run from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. around campus. With Freebee, students can request a ride from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday through Friday.
“Through this new partnership, the University now provides an innovative micro-transit solution with expanded hours,” said the Office of Parking and Transportation.
Late-night transportation, like the one provided by these companies, is a key aspect of creating a secure campus. A study by BJS statisticians Katrina Baum and Patsy Klaus, revealed that over 70% of off-campus crimes occur at night.
Freebee also offers two “transportation zones” expanding beyond the Coral Gables campus to include some off-campus residencies and certain shopping areas.
“The app-based Freebee service is custom designed to cater to the University community and operates within a 1- to 2-mile radius of the University,”, the Office of Parking and Transportation said.
Colleges are a large source of carbon ioxide emissions. Commuting accounts for almost 90% of the annual 52,434 metric tons generated.
To combat this, the University of Miami has a mission statement to “Further expand our commitment and the major efforts already underway to advance environmental responsibility across our University and reduce our carbon footprint.”
Finding “green” alternatives to transportation is an important step in reaching this goal. Freebee employs electrical-only cars.
“Our electric-only vehicles ensure your rides are emission-free,” its website says.
Through this, Freebee reports to have saved over 480 thousand grams of CO2 emissions during 2022.
Safe Ride, uniquely, offers the ability to combine multiple rides to limit the production of carbon, a feature that Freebee lacks.
“Having one passenger in each vehicle isn’t a good use of time or fuel, so an on-demand system dynamically strings trips and people together for the most efficient route possible,” TransLoc’s website says.
This decision was not made by staff members alone.
“Parking and Transportation met with Student Government and the Dean of Students Office to gain feedback on the switch to Freebee,” the Office of Parking and Transportation assured. “Student input guided the decision for the extended hours now being offered.”
Overall, it appears that students and faculty support the change and are excited about this next step in campus transportation.
“This is a fantastic change for our students and will provide more flexibility and coverage,” said Patricia A. Whitely, senior vice president of student affairs and alumni engagement.
Throughout the year, the Office Parking and Transportation will continue to monitor Freebee’s performance and student response. If you wish to use it, simply request a ride through the UMiami app and select Freebee.