The City of Kissimmee has approved an extension of its contract with Freebee, a company that provides free on-demand, “last-mile” shuttle service to residents between downtown transportation hubs and government buildings, medical centers and Valencia College.
The contract total is $429,665, a slight increase (4%) over last year. The contract is between the city and the Downtown Kissimmee and Vine Street Community Redevelopment agencies (CRAs). Their budgets share in the cost.
“Micro-transit services provide first- and last-mile connectivity, reduce parking demand, support local commerce, and enhance overall mobility within redevelopment areas,” city officials said in the agenda item from the Jan. 6 Commission meeting. “Staff has reviewed the Master Agreement and determined that the scope of services and pricing are appropriate and economically advantageous for the City of Kissimmee.”
Freebee is much like a hyper-local Uber, as residents can arrange free rides through a mobile app or a phone number using three low-emission Teslas, with an ADA-accessible van available. In early 2023 the service replaced the Lynx bus Kissimmee Connector, which saw low ridership in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic— about 17 riders per day—at a $500,000 annual contract rate.
In 2024 its service area expanded to include John Young Parkway on the west and the Post Office, ball fields, park and city community center on Oak Street, and stretch north to Vine Street, as well as AdventHealth Hospital.
At its last renewal, Freebee officials said the service carried nearly 2,200 riders in January 2025.
Freebee operates Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
In other board action, the Commission approved a license for a Pharm Aid pain management clinic in the El Presidente shopping plaza at U.S. 192 and Michigan Avenue, as well as a new logo for the Downtown Kissimmee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
Per the agreement, the pain management clinic can only dispense any Schedule II substances—morphine, oxycodone and hydrocodone are among that group—in a 30-day supply and can only accept cash as payment for insurance co-pays, coinsurance or deductibles among other conditions. It can only dispense between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to those with valid IDs.
And the new DKCRA logo, featuring bricks, buildings and a mention of the city’s 1881 incorporation, was adopted after public input and approval from the city’s Economic Development Department.
