Biscayne Park commission approves Freebie rideshare contract after hours of public testimony
June 19, 2026 | Village of Biscayne Park, Miami-Dade County, Florida
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The Village of Biscayne Park voted to approve an on-demand rideshare agreement with Freeb — the local Freebie microtransit operator — after more than an hour of public comment and extended commission debate. The resolution (2026-45) authorizes the village to piggyback a competitively awarded agreement to continue Freebie service in the village.
Residents, many of them older or carless, filled the Log Cabin and spoke virtually to urge retaining the service. "As a resident, I've used Freebie several times... it gave me real peace of mind during a stressful time," said Judy Hamillberg, who described relying on the service for medication and groceries. Michael Lea read a letter from neighbor Vicky Cassani saying that eliminating Freebie would only return "about $20,000" for road repairs — an amount she said would not meaningfully fix village roads and would sacrifice a daily resource for vulnerable residents.
The commission heard similar testimony from several longtime residents and temporary residents who said Freebie was essential. "Without Freebie, a single trip to the store and back would cost me like $15 to $20 on a rideshare app," said an intern identified as Alan. Freeb's local driver and company representative, Claudia Miro, told commissioners the company is ready to assist with marketing, rider education and performance data to improve usage.
Why it mattered: Commissioners weighed residents' appeals against fiscal constraints. Paul, finance staff, told the commission the village's Citizen Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) historically generated roughly $200,000 a year and that transit-eligible allocations are structured so roughly 20% is reserved for transit projects. He estimated Freebie's operating cost at about $120,000 per year and said county-held CITT transit funds had been frozen during an ongoing multi-year audit; once the audit clears, some reimbursements are expected but timing is uncertain.
Key points of debate included whether the village could reapply for or retain a $60,000 FDOT grant that had previously offset operations, whether to continue using CITT transit allocations (and possibly more than the 20% minimum) to cover service costs, and whether the service is the most efficient way to meet residents' mobility needs. One commissioner opposed renewal, citing declining ridership, per-car costs for a one-square-mile village and energy/efficiency concerns; that commissioner urged prioritizing capital projects funded by CITT such as road and stormwater work.
Outcome and next steps: The motion to approve the Freebie contract passed after discussion; the transcript does not record an individual roll-call tally. Staff and Freeb agreed to pursue advertising and rider education to increase use, and staff said they would continue to pursue grants and work with county CITT administrators to recover or release transit funds. The village will operate the service under the new agreement while staff monitors costs, ridership and grant opportunities.
The commission ended the meeting after voting on the Freebie contract and other business.
Residents, many of them older or carless, filled the Log Cabin and spoke virtually to urge retaining the service. "As a resident, I've used Freebie several times... it gave me real peace of mind during a stressful time," said Judy Hamillberg, who described relying on the service for medication and groceries. Michael Lea read a letter from neighbor Vicky Cassani saying that eliminating Freebie would only return "about $20,000" for road repairs — an amount she said would not meaningfully fix village roads and would sacrifice a daily resource for vulnerable residents.
The commission heard similar testimony from several longtime residents and temporary residents who said Freebie was essential. "Without Freebie, a single trip to the store and back would cost me like $15 to $20 on a rideshare app," said an intern identified as Alan. Freeb's local driver and company representative, Claudia Miro, told commissioners the company is ready to assist with marketing, rider education and performance data to improve usage.
Why it mattered: Commissioners weighed residents' appeals against fiscal constraints. Paul, finance staff, told the commission the village's Citizen Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) historically generated roughly $200,000 a year and that transit-eligible allocations are structured so roughly 20% is reserved for transit projects. He estimated Freebie's operating cost at about $120,000 per year and said county-held CITT transit funds had been frozen during an ongoing multi-year audit; once the audit clears, some reimbursements are expected but timing is uncertain.
Key points of debate included whether the village could reapply for or retain a $60,000 FDOT grant that had previously offset operations, whether to continue using CITT transit allocations (and possibly more than the 20% minimum) to cover service costs, and whether the service is the most efficient way to meet residents' mobility needs. One commissioner opposed renewal, citing declining ridership, per-car costs for a one-square-mile village and energy/efficiency concerns; that commissioner urged prioritizing capital projects funded by CITT such as road and stormwater work.
Outcome and next steps: The motion to approve the Freebie contract passed after discussion; the transcript does not record an individual roll-call tally. Staff and Freeb agreed to pursue advertising and rider education to increase use, and staff said they would continue to pursue grants and work with county CITT administrators to recover or release transit funds. The village will operate the service under the new agreement while staff monitors costs, ridership and grant opportunities.
The commission ended the meeting after voting on the Freebie contract and other business.
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