A free Wellington ride service introduced last year is racking up thousands of takers for trips serving folks 55 and older within village limits.
It is certainly hard to beat the price of Freebee, a village-funded service available since last spring.
“Since the inception of the program on May 1, 2024, we have provided 5,232 rides and assisted 6,036 residents with transportation within Wellington,” Wellington Community Services Director Jenifer Brito said this week.
In a sense, riders are paying for it to the extent they are local taxpayers. Users must be Wellington residents, and the money comes from village general funds supported by taxpayers.
The overall budget for the program is $209,113.60, Brito said.
“The program itself is funded through general fund money, and the Village of Wellington is always looking for grants and sponsorships to help offset the costs for this program,” she added.
OK, but it is limited to medical appointments or other specified purposes? No, Brito said.
“Freebee is a transportation program that provides transportation throughout Wellington for any type of assistance,” Brito said. “Most seniors utilize this program for groceries, doctors’ appointments and social gatherings at the Wellington Community Center.”
What’s the catch? Well, it does require proof of age and residency. This can be in the form of a photo ID or, say, a water utility bill, according to the village’s web page on the program.
To sign up, bring your photo ID and water or utility bill to the Wellington Community Center at 12150 W. Forest Hill Blvd. for a one-time registration. Another option is to e-mail your information to rides@wellingtonfl.gov.
When you are ready to call for a ride, you will have been given a dispatch telephone number to call, or you can download the Freebee app. The service is available Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Sunday.
It can be used within Wellington’s boundaries, plus Palms West Hospital and its surrounding medical offices; along State Road 7 from Southern Blvd. to Lake Worth Road; and both sides of Southern between SR 7 and Flying Cow Ranch Road.
The program uses a vendor, Freebee, whose web site touts its use of electric vehicles. It mentions service areas in nearly 50 cities, including Delray Beach and Miami.
Is tipping expected? That’s not mentioned on Wellington’s web site as any sort of requirement, but the vendor web site includes testimonials from people happening to note they do tip.
Other transportation options tied to county, state or federal programs may be free to people with disabilities, or involve low or subsidized out-of-pocket fees for other qualifying riders, but this one happens to come at no cost to the user at the time of the ride.
Last year, Palm Beach County’s transportation agency, Palm Tran, cut a bus route in Wellington and offered subsidized rates on ride-share or taxi services in affected areas instead, though these still involved a small fee for the user.
To learn more about Wellington’s Freebee service, visit www.wellingtonfl.gov/rides.
