SouthPark Community Partners launching free, on-demand microtransit service in November with the introduction of the “SouthPark Skipper”
Electric-powered vehicles will connect users to SouthPark destinations and experiences; service marks first deliverable of 2035 vision plan.
CHARLOTTE – SouthPark Community Partners will launch a new on-demand microtransit service, offering free rides in the SouthPark business district, as part of a one-year pilot program beginning Friday, Nov. 15.
The “SouthPark Skipper” service will use a fleet of electric vehicles to serve SouthPark’s residents, workers, and visitors from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. SouthPark Community Partners will test and refine the service throughout November so it will be ready for SouthPark’s busy holiday season. Riders will download an app to catch a ride anywhere in the SouthPark municipal service district footprint. Creating free shuttle service was one of the recommendations of the SouthPark Forward 2035 Vision Plan, released earlier this year.
“The introduction of the SouthPark Skipper is a major step toward a more connected SouthPark, where people can easily discover all of the extraordinary amenities this area has to offer,” said Adam Rhew, president and CEO of SouthPark Community Partners. “By empowering new ways of moving around SouthPark, we’re advancing the community’s vision for a park-once place that’s easy and safe to explore.”
While making it easier to move around the neighborhood, the SouthPark Skipper will connect the district and the many corporate headquarters, hospitality assets, and experiences that are unique to the area, including more than 350 consumer-facing shops, restaurants, and service providers.
The SouthPark Skipper will be operated by Freebee, a microtransit provider that aims to seamlessly connect communities and enhance local mobility to specific destinations. Freebee currently operates similar programs in more than 40 East Coast markets. Users should download the Freebee app from the Apple or Google Play stores and set up a profile in order to ride. SouthPark Community Partners is an economic development nonprofit that manages the SouthPark municipal service district, which covers one square mile of SouthPark’s commercial core, through a partnership with the City of Charlotte. The group will fully fund operations of the microtransit service during the one-year pilot.
In partnership with the City of Charlotte, this pilot aligns with overall transportation goals for moving people where other transit infrastructure does not exist. The fully electric, on-demand fleet will provide an efficient, flexible mobility option. It is supportive of Charlotte’s strategic mobility plan vision and Charlotte’s goals to become a low carbon, healthy city.
The SouthPark Forward 2035 Vision Plan was a first-of-its-kind initiative created to inspire and shape future investment in SouthPark’s commercial core. The recommendations comprised $250 million in public and private projects, including new parks, enhanced pedestrian infrastructure, and this free shuttle service to facilitate a park-once environment. The plan recommended establishing Charlotte’s first mobility innovation district in SouthPark to test new options for attractive, safe, comfortable and easy transportation within the neighborhood that can be scaled citywide and beyond.
Visit southparkforward.com to read the full Vision Plan, including a complete list of projects.
SouthPark Community Partners
SouthPark Community Partners is a nonprofit economic and community development organization that leads SouthPark's advancement by driving economic vitality, creating memorable experiences, and ensuring an extraordinary quality of life. SCP serves the SouthPark municipal service district through a partnership with the City of Charlotte. Learn more at www.southparkclt.org, by following @southparkclt on Instagram and Facebook and connecting with SouthPark Community Partners on LinkedIn.