KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Kissimmee city commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday evening to renew the contract for a free downtown ride service that has seen significant ridership growth since its launch in 2023.
The city’s contract with Freebee, a microtransit service that offers free rides in Tesla Model X vehicles throughout downtown Kissimmee, was up for renewal at a cost of $421,768 for the period from March 2026 to March 2027.
Freebee is the same company that operates Seminole County’s Scout service, which has faced criticism for long and unreliable wait times. However, the Kissimmee service appears to be performing differently.
Unlike traditional ride-sharing services, Freebee operates as a “last mile” transit option in Kissimmee, helping passengers travel between major destinations like HCA Florida Osceola Hospital and Kissimmee City Hall from bus stops and train stations. Unlike Scout in Seminole County, which is replacing existing bus routes, Kissimmee’s service complements the current transit system.
The service has shown impressive growth since replacing the underperforming Kissimmee Circulator bus service. Passenger numbers jumped nearly 190% between 2023 and 2024, with the service providing over 25,000 rides in 2024. While complete data for 2025 is not yet available, city officials expect the final numbers to surpass the previous year’s totals.
Recent testing of the service demonstrated notably quick response times, with rides arriving within minutes of being requested. Freebee driver Sadaq noted that the service is particularly busy serving Valencia College students traveling to and from train and bus stations.
The contract renewal includes formal recognition of funding contributions from both the Downtown Kissimmee Community Redevelopment Agency and the Vine Street Community Redevelopment Agency, which will be added as official parties to the agreement.
The service represents a significant improvement over its predecessor. The Kissimmee Circulator, which Freebee replaced, only transported 10,500 passengers in its final year of operation. In contrast, Freebee provided rides to 8,733 passengers in its first partial year (2023), before jumping to 25,249 rides in 2024.
City staff has recommended approval of the contract renewal, which includes a 2% cost increase from the previous year.
The commission’s vote means the service will continue through March 2027.