Making the Duval Loop Free and Easy Helps Downtown Prosper

Posted on July 14, 2025     Leave a Comment

 On the afternoon of Tuesday, July 8 U.S. Radio One Evening Edition’s Nick Wright interviewed Chris Hamilton after reading the article “The $1 Mistake: How Key West Is Undermining the Duval Loop, Again,” published July 6, 2025 where it was generating buzz on Facebook. What follows is a transcript of that conversation. You can listen to that conversation here.

NICK WRIGHT:
“Welcome back to Evening Edition. In just a couple of minutes, we’re going to talk with Rhonda Lopez. She’s the chairman of the Monroe County Republican Party.

But first, we’ll talk with Chris Hamilton. He’s the editor at the Friends of Car-Free Key West blog and Facebook page. Hey there, Chris. Thanks for checking in with us on Evening Edition.”

CHRIS HAMILTON:
“Hey, Nick. How are you doing? I’m doing fantastic today.”

NICK WRIGHT:
“Busy day. So, like many of us, you wear a lot of hats here in the island community. But I’ve got you here today in your capacity with the group Friends of Car Free Key West, where you edit the Facebook page and blog. Can you take us back and tell us about Friends of Car Free Key West, what you guys do, and how long you’ve been around?”

CHRIS HAMILTON:
“We’ve been around since, I guess, COVID. And we started Friends of Car-Free Key West because we wanted to support the efforts of city staff and the transit department and the bike coordinator in promoting a more walkable, bikeable, transit-friendly downtown.”

NICK WRIGHT:
“OK, I called today because there’s recently been changes in the Duval Loop south of White Street in downtown Key West. First, can you go back to your COVID beginnings and tell us about the Duval Loop when it was first imagined and started?”

CHRIS HAMILTON:
“The cool thing about the Duval Loop was that the City envisioned that downtown, the whole Duval Street area, the Seaport, all the attractions, the restaurants, the shops, that they could function better if there were fewer cars. And 77% of our visitors who stay overnight get here by car. And the research told the City that if people have a car once they’re here, they tend to use it.

The survey research also told the city that if they offered alternatives that were easy, intuitive, simple, free, that people would use that and leave their car at the local hotel or the local parking lot. The whole idea of doing a Duval Loop circulator in the first place was economic development. It was supporting the downtown business community.

Think about it, if you visited any big city or small tourist town around the world, you’ll note most cities do have some sort of circulator bus that gets people around.

So, the city started this in 2017. It had wonderfully colorful buses. It had an easy-to-understand route that just went around Duval Street and went around the Seaport. It had long hours, and it came by every 15 minutes. People loved it.

The first couple of years, over 330,000 people rode it each year. And it took cars off the downtown streets. It made downtown more friendly.

It helped local mom-and-pop businesses because a lot of times, if people are at one end of Duval, they might not want to walk all the way to the other end. I mean, think about all the times you stop and see a tourist, and they’re schvitzing and sweating, and they’re like, oh, how do you guys stand the weather here? And I’ve got to walk up around here. And so, they might not walk to the other end of Duval.

They might not walk up to the Seaport and see all the wonderful restaurants and venues there. But by having the Duval Loop coming by every 15 minutes, you hop on, you hop off, it’s fun, it’s free. People took to it immediately. The business community especially took to it. It was very successful.

I guess if you fast-forward to COVID, COVID put a kibosh on a lot of stuff. And the city made some mistakes when the Duval Loop came back after COVID. They halved the number of buses on it. They shortened the hours. They took off the branded buses. They forgot about the bus stops. And as a result, ridership just really plummeted.

After COVID, the first couple of years, there was only like 70,000 people riding the bus, a long shot from 330,000. But the last couple of years, every year the ridership has slowly inched back.”

NICK WRIGHT:
“There’s been a comeback, right?”

CHRIS HAMILTON:
“It has. It has comeback. And so slowly, city staff has been making the bus stops nicer, putting up a QR code on the bus stops so people could pull up when the next bus is coming, putting maps on the bus stops so people could say, oh, all right, this is where it goes. I see that.

And it started coming back. And then on June 4^th with little explanation why, the City Commission said yes to a staff request to start charging a dollar fare.”

NICK WRIGHT:
“Okay, so what does that dollar fare mean to the Duval Loop, and what’s its impact on all of us down here?”

CHRIS HAMILTON:
“Well, you know what? They tried this five years ago, and the business community revolted.

The people who own all the local hotels and inns downtown, people who own the shops, they went to the City Commission, and they said, our visitors love this. Do not charge a dollar because they’re just not going to ride it, and then they won’t come to our shop, or they won’t get to our end of Duval Street. And when the City did a COVID Recovery Plan, one of the items that was in that recovery plan was to rescind that dollar fare.

So, they rescinded it, and it has been free since then. Taking away something that was advertised as FREE and frequent and charging a dollar just makes it like any other bus route now. It’s not a special amenity for downtown anymore.

And that likely means ridership will start to go down again.

Now, a lot of people will say, well, it’s just a dollar. Come on, pay the dollar.

But think about when you get on a bus and you have to make exact change, or you have to deal with a card reader that is going to charge your credit card, or you don’t know how much it costs. So, people queue up. There’s a line. It slows everything down. It makes it a hassle.

If you’ve got a family and you’ve got kids and you’re trying to figure it out, it just is like the next time they won’t get on the bus. So, ridership is likely to go down.

And one of the ironic things is that a lot of the City funding for public transit in Key West comes from federal and state dollars that are hinged on ridership.

If anything, you’d want to goose the ridership upward so you could get more state and federal money. But charging a $1 will drive ridership in the opposite direction.

Again, let’s bring it back to the business community.

If there’s less riders and there’s less people getting around to see all the different points of downtown, then that’s not good for our local mom-and-pop shops.”

NICK WRIGHT:
“Okay, so in your perspective, what should be addressed and what should be done by our city in terms of the Duval Loop?”

CHRIS HAMILTON:
“They should rescind the dollar fare as soon as they can. Make it free again.

Perhaps simplify the route.

Right now, I live on Fleming Street, and the bus just went by. It was a big, blank, white bus. They’ve got to repaint or rewrap the buses in the colorful Duval Loop brand that was originally done. In fact, the city put out a Facebook post today, and it showed the old Duval Loop that was nice and colorful, but they haven’t had one of those buses on the route in 2 or 3 years.

So, they need to get back to some basics and work with the business community to market better.”

NICK WRIGHT:
“Okay, so for like-minded people, how do they get in touch with you and or get more information on the cause?”

CHRIS AHMILTON
“You can always follow us at Friends of Car-Free Key West on Facebook and at the friendsofcarfreekeywest.org blog.

And talk to your commissioners. Tell them that you support public transit downtown, and especially the Duval Loop. It’s not like any other transit around the city.

It’s special. It’s supposed to help our downtown prosper, thrive, and be walk-friendly. We don’t want all those visitors that come down here with cars to get in their car to drive 8 blocks to the other end of Duval.

That’s just silly and stupid. Making the Duval Loop free and easy to use helps downtown prosper.”

“NICK WRIGHT
Okay, well, thanks for catching us up, Chris. We appreciate you keeping us up to date on the issue.”

CHRIS HAMILTON
“All right, thanks, Nick.”

NICK WRIGHT:
“That was Chris Hamilton, editor at the Friends of Carfree Key West blog and Facebook page, giving his perspective on the changes to the Duval Loop in downtown Key West.

Coming up, we’ll look at our local, state, and national politics with Rhonda Lopez, chairman of the Monroe County Republican Party. That’s up next on this Tuesday, July 8th evening edition, brought to you by Two Friends Patio Restaurant in Keys Auto Center. Stick with us on U.S. 1 Radio.”

♪ She told me to walk this way, ♪ Drive this way ♪ Walk this way, drive this way

 Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai.

Chris Hamilton is the founder of Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown, a local advocacy group championing sustainable mobility and vibrant public spaces. Subscribe to the blog and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Substack for updates. All stories are cross posted at KONK Life News. Originally from Washington, D.C., Chris spent over two decades leading nationally acclaimed initiatives in transit, biking, walking, and smart growth for Arlington County, VA’s DOT. Since moving to Key West in 2015, he has embraced a car-free lifestyle downtown, dedicating his time to non-profits and community projects. Explore all Streets for People column articles here.

The $1 Mistake: How Key West Is Undermining the Duval Loop, Again

Posted on July 6, 2025     1 Comment

July 6, 2025

In May 2020, the Key West City Commission voted 5–2 to impose a $1 fare on the Duval Loop, despite strong opposition from workers, downtown businesses, hoteliers and residents. Just six months later, the decision was reversed because the City’s Covid Recovery Plan prioritized free Loop access to support downtown recovery and mobility.

Fast forward to today and the $1 fare is being reintroduced on July 7. But this time it was done quietly. Little public discussion nor justification in the Commission Resolution or Authorizing Memo, and no acknowledgment of past backlash. The move echoes a history of tone-deaf decision-making about our public transportation system that undermines the Loop’s original success. It’s like Deja vu all over again.

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The Duval Loop Was Great – A Bright Start: The Loop That Worked

The Duval Loop was a game-changer for downtown mobility when it launched. It was free, frequent, and fun, making it an easy choice for visitors, workers and residents alike. The branding and marketing were top-notch, with eye-catching designs that made the service memorable. The simple, easy-to-navigate route ensured convenience, while the high frequency of buses meant minimal wait times. Riders flocked to the Loop, appreciating its reliability and the seamless experience it offered.

TripAdvisor ratings consistently praised the Loop for its convenience and value, with many users highlighting it as a must-try experience in Key West. Early ridership numbers also back this up: FY2018–2019 saw over 331,000 riders, a testament to the Loop’s initial popularity and effectiveness.

Duval Loop Flounders – Missteps and Missed Potential

Post Covid, the City never got it together with the Loop. They reduced the hours of service, elongated the route – making the ride longer, halved the numbers of buses and thus further reduced the frequency, took off the wonderfully branded buses, neglected the bus stops and didn’t do any marketing. Ridership plunged. We comprehensively documented the Loop’s hardships here and here.

Duval Loop Sorta Makes Comeback – Signs of Life and What Sparked Them

Over the last few years, the Duval Loop ridership has inched upwards from its moribund numbers, although it is still nothing like the pre-Covid levels, despite the fact that tourism has been hopping. Part of the small comeback may have to do with some improvements such as putting two buses out on the route again (more frequency – but still not at initial levels because of the longer route) and better bus stop information. In the current fiscal year (FY25) numbers for the first seven months indicate the Loop was on track for over 150,000 riders.

Duval Loop Ridership Data by Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year	Ridership
FY2018–2019	331,603
FY2019–2020	201,077
FY2020–2021	63,055
FY2021–2022	71,981
FY2022–2023	109,044
FY2023–2024	125,655
FY2024–2025*	152,000+

*FY2025 projection based on 91,386 rides from October–April, a 21% increase over prior year

But Charging A $1 Fare Threatens to Halt this Progress

Charging a fare for the Duval Loop undermines its core strengths and creates barriers to ridership. Here’s why:

• Marketing Costs: The “FREE and FREQUENT” branding was simple and effective, requiring minimal marketing. Introducing a fare complicates the message and demands additional marketing investment.
• Loss of Amenity Value: The Loop shifts from being a valued amenity and economic development tool to just another bus service.
• Hop-On Hop-Off Convenience: The fare disrupts the seamless hop-on-hop-off experience, turning it into a traditional bus route requiring exact change and payment queues.
• Parking Incentives: Visitors encouraged to park at facilities like the Grinnell Street Garage and use the free shuttle may now reconsider, leading to reduced usage.
• Elasticity Impact: Even a small fare introduces cost sensitivity. Families face higher costs, and the hassle of exact change deters casual riders.
• Operational Delays: Payment queues slow down boarding, causing delays and friction that further discourage ridership.
• Stakeholder Trust: The fare change breaks commitments to local businesses and visitors who highly rated the service, eroding trust and goodwill.
• Increased Congestion: As the service becomes less accessible, more people may choose to drive, exacerbating downtown traffic.
• Economic Impact: Reduced ridership harms small businesses reliant on visitor foot traffic, weakening the downtown economy.

Addressing Financing Concerns

Critics may argue, “It’s just a dollar,” or question why tax dollars should fund the Loop. However, nearly all of the funding for transit comes from parking fees—85% of which are paid by tourists—and state and federal monies, which are often guided by the number of riders.

Is that dollar even worth collecting? In cities like Key West, where farebox revenue rarely covers even 20% of operating costs, a dollar fare can quickly become a net loss—especially when it risks reduced ridership and funding tied to usage.

Investing in a free and frequent Duval Loop is not just about mobility; it’s about leveraging these funding sources effectively to support downtown businesses, reduce congestion, and enhance the visitor experience.

City Commission Should, Again, Rescind This Penny Wise and Pound-Foolish Move

To foster the Loop’s success the City Commission needs to rescind the $1 fare and recommit to a service that’s free, frequent, and intuitive—what made the Loop a standout in the first place. And it also must brand the buses and work with the business community to better market the service.

This isn’t just about a dollar. It’s about public trust, economic vitality, and sustainable mobility in a dense downtown core. Businesses rely on it. Workers and residents depend on it. Visitors praise it. Quietly rolling back what worked doesn’t just threaten ridership—it undermines Key West’s non-mainland values.

The Loop was built on a vision for a better, more walk, bike and people-friendly historic old town. Reversing this fare decision would reaffirm this and put the city back on the path toward a transportation system that supports its downtown economy, environment, and community.

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Key West is Florida’s Best Biking City. Could It Become the Paris of Small Cities?

Posted on July 1, 2025     Leave a Comment

July 1, 2025

Key West has once again been recognized as one of the 2025 Best Places to Bike in the annual PeopleforBikes City Ratings, continuing its tradition of being a standout bicycling city. With a Score of 69 and a #1 ranking in Florida, Key West is making steady progress in becoming a top-tier bicycling destination. But why stop there? The potential to transform into the Paris of small bicycling cities is within our grasp — if we and our leaders choose to seize it boldly and decisively.

This year, Key West achieved a Score of 69 and the following rankings:

• Florida: Ranked #1
• United States: Ranked #47
• World: Ranked #148

In fact, of the 2,541 U.S. cities evaluated this year, only 234 scored above 50 — putting Key West’s 69 squarely in the nation’s top tier.

These rankings reflect a combination of factors that make Key West stand out:

• Natural Advantages: A very small and flat place with a compact street grid and great weather
• Ongoing Improvements: Recent bike infrastructure upgrades, including new bike lanes on United and South Streets

Key West’s score has steadily climbed from 58 in 2021 to 69 today.

A Look Back

Over the years, Key West has consistently performed well in the PeopleforBikes City Ratings. Here’s a quick recap of its recent rankings:

• 2025: A score of 69 and ranking of #1 in Florida, #47 in the U.S., and #148 in the world out of 2,901 cities, 2,743 of which are in the U.S.
• 2024: A score of 68 and ranking of #1 in Florida, #44 in the U.S., and #116 in the world out of 2,579 cities, 2,300 of which are in the U.S.
• 2023: A score of 66 and ranking of #68 out of 1,481 U.S. and 249 international places
• 2022: A score of 61 and ranking of #15 out of 1,105 places in North America.
• 2021: A score of 58 and ranked #39 out of 760 places (660 in the U.S.)

What Makes Key West Stand Out?

Key West’s strong showing in the PeopleForBikes City Ratings comes from a mix of natural advantages and intentional choices:

• Structural Advantages: Our small and flat footprint, compact street grid, and year-round good weather create the ideal foundation for a bikeable city. So, we start from a better place than most cities.
• Strategic Investments: Recent improvements — like new bike lanes on United (2024) and South Streets (2025) and the new Staples Avenue Bike Bridge (2025)— build on that foundation.
• Community Engagement: Local organizations (like Southernmost Slow Ride and Zombie Bike Ride) and residents actively promote cycling through events and initiatives.
• Sustainability Goals: A long-standing commitment to reduce carbon emissions aligns with efforts to make biking a primary mode of transportation.

Why It Matters

A good score or being a great bicycling city means more than just bragging rights. It reflects a community that prioritizes safety, sustainability, and quality of life. Great bicycling cities reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, and promote healthier lifestyles. They also attract tourism and economic growth, creating vibrant spaces for residents and visitors alike.

Looking Ahead

PeopleforBikes’s are evaluating more and more cities each year. And while they adhere to very tough standards in their scoring, witness the average score is 30 and only 234 U.S. cities scored higher than 50 on the 100-point scale, Key West’s natural advantages have helped it stand out. But what if we really tried hard? Could we be the Paris (ranked the #1 big city in the world) of small cities?

Despite some clear recent wins, too many projects continue to prioritize cars over people — just as we noted in last year’s analysis or more specifically in stories  here, here, here, here, here and here.

Paris as a Model

As we continue to ask the question, given our natural advantages, what would Key West’s score and ranking be if we really tried and put substantial dollars into making our island into a biking paradise?

Paris offers a compelling example of what’s possible. Under Mayor Hidalgo’s leadership, the city has invested €250 million to make 100% of streets cyclable by 2026, created over 1,000 km of safe cycle paths, and seen a visible shift in behavior — with some streets now seeing more bikes than cars during rush hour. “Transforming Paris from Below: Cycling as a Social Movement” captures both the infrastructure investments and the cultural shift that have made Paris a global leader in urban cycling. Here’s a couple more great articles: “Reclaiming the City: Paris’s Decade-long Ride Towards a More Liveable Future” and “Paris Cycling Numbers Double In One Year Thanks To Massive Investment and Its Not Stopping.”

Paris, ranked the world’s top large city, achieved its position through bold leadership and focused investments — a roadmap that small cities like Key West can adapt.

Could Key West follow suit and become the Paris of small cities? The potential is there — if we choose to seize it.

What’s at Stake

Year after year, we track these rankings not for the score — but for what that score represents: a safer way to get to school. A cleaner way to move around town. A more human-scaled future for our island community.

For Key West, the stakes are especially high. As a small town with a high volume of visitors, the impact of car-centric infrastructure degrades the very qualities that make our island special. By prioritizing biking, walking, and transit-friendly solutions, we won’t just preserve the unique character of our community — we’ll shape the future of our island, ensuring it remains distinct from the mainland and a beacon of sustainability and innovation.

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For readers who want to dive deeper…

Past Stories on Key West’s PeopleforBikes Scores

• June 28, 2024
• June 29, 2023
• July 1, 2022
• June 11, 2021
• June 10, 2020

About PeopleForBikes

PeopleForBikes is a national bicycling advocacy nonprofit and industry group that’s been publishing these City Ratings since 2018. The 2025 edition evaluates 2,901 cities worldwide — the most ever.

How City Ratings Work

PeopleForBikes scores cities on a 0–100 scale based on how safe and connected their bike networks are. The methodology, called Bicycle Network Analysis, looks at factors like protected lanes, safe intersections, and access to key destinations. Here’s a link to the Key West Stress Map used in the methodology.

Key West in Context

Key West’s #47 U.S. ranking and Score of 69 are strong, but there’s room to grow. For comparison:

Biggest climbers: Park City, UT (48→61), Richfield, MN (25→53) and Galena, IL (25→55 in five years – story here)

Select top U.S. small cities: Mackinac Island, MI (Score: 100), Provincetown, MA (Score: 96), Emerald Isle, NC (Score: 76), Sonoma, CA (Score: 74) Aspen, CO (Score: 74), Sedona, AZ (Score: 73), Ocean City, NJ (Score: 70), Sanibel, FL (Score: 64), Vail, CO (Score: 47)

Top mid-sized city: Davis, CA (Score: 81)

Top large city: Brooklyn, NY (Score: 73)

Top international City: Paris, France (Score: 89)

Just Six Months Old, Conch Connect Micro-Transit Is Already Beating Expectations

Posted on January 24, 2025     1 Comment

By Chris Hamilton. Story is cross posted at KONK Life on January 24, 2025. Follow us at  Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown on Facebook.

Just six months after its debut, the Conch Connect on-demand, Uber-like micro transit service is shattering forecasts by more than doubling expected ridership. In its first four full months of service, beginning August 1 through November, the Freebee transit company, which operates the service for Monroe County reports it is averaging over 5,300 monthly passengers. And this is before high season started. Transit officials had a goal of 2,000 riders a month for the first year. They added 85 percent of the passengers are locals and 50% of the trips are for work.

Meanwhile Key West Transit’s (KWT) two-years-old, on-demand bus service Key West Rides has maintained its passenger levels since the County’s service started. So, the County service doesn’t seem to be cannibalizing customers from the City but perhaps is expanding the market by introducing a new and different product. Combine the two together and add in the 18-month old KWT Work Force Express passengers and you get a bit closer to the number of passenger trips that were provided by KWT on its old “City Routes” on Key West and Stock Island pre-Covid. That’s good news for our transit systems and good news for people that need transit to get to work and get around.

Let’s dive into some of the data, talk to some local riders and ask what this means for the future of transit below.

A Closer Look at the Data

RIDERSHIP: At 5,300+ passengers a month and growing, Conch Connect is already providing 87% of the 6,100 passengers (average for the same months) the City’s Key West Rides is serving. Add in the Work Force Express Route’s about 1,400 monthly rides and that’s approximately 11,400 total trips mostly serving locals on our two islands. Before Covid the KWT Red, Orange, Green and Blue “City Routes” served more than 15,000 monthly passengers. So, the additional capacity that Conch Connect provides is helping to meet transit demand that has been lacking since Covid.

WAIT TIMES: The Freebee provided data shows that about half the trips (49%) have a wait time of 20 minutes or less and half (51%) are 20 minutes plus with an average wait time of 23 minutes 14 seconds. Yes, they provide data that precise. In fact, here are more specific breakdowns:

17% of trips at 0 – 10 Minutes
16% of trips at 10 – 15 Minutes
16% of trips at 15 – 20 Minutes
24% of trips at 20 – 30 Minutes
28% of trips at 30+ Minutes

When asked about some of the longer wait times, Richard Clark, Monroe County Transit Director tells us, “Most people understand that a $2 trip has advantages and disadvantages. During peak hours it will certainly slow down.”

SERVING LOCALS: Mr. Clark shared that one thing the report doesn’t show is that 85% of the passengers are local. When I asked how he knew that he responded: “It’s an electronic format that requires you to put in your information. Those that ride have their information in the system.” Based upon the comments about the service on the Key West Locals group page, we’d guess this is so.

AND SERVING WORKERS: Mr. Clark also shared that 50% of the rides are for work purposes. He said that: “Rides that originate and terminate in Key West are roughly 2/3^rd’s and Stock to Key West is roughly 1/3. The rides are typically to major resorts/ west Duval area.”

RIDERSHIP SKEWS YOUNGER: It caught our attention that 45% of the passengers identified as younger than 34 years old, especially in this town as us old people seem to rule and also because transit systems often seem to cater to the needs of seniors. 29 percent were ages 35 to 50 and 26% were 51+.

7-DAY A WEEK, ALL NIGHT TOWN: We all know this, but our town doesn’t have a 5-day a week, weekend feel. And it doesn’t slow down at night either. It’s always busy and people are always working. The daily and hourly passenger data confirms this as no day of the week – although Tuesday seems a bit busier – predominates and the rides don’t noticeably decline at night.

What Some Customers and Locals Are Saying

We asked locals on Facebook to share their experience with the new service and it didn’t take more than a few hours to get 60+ comments. Here’s small sample of what they were saying:

Some people liked it:

Yara Gabriela Mila, Key West: “It’s comfortable and affordable, BUT the wait time is too long most of the time and it’s not accurate either, so it’s not reliable if you want to use it to get to work or things like that.”

Kevin P Smith, Key West: “My friends use it all the time. And yes, it is inconsistent. It’s a work in progress. Going to be great!”

Claire Hurd, Key West: “I only took Conch Connect once, a few months ago. Took less than 30 minutes to pick me up on White St. and deliver me to a shop on North Roosevelt. The glass ceiling is sweet!”

Katherine Samantha, Key West: “ We have used it a handful of time, it has been great for us! Picked up in less than 10 minutes, nice drivers and great experience overall. Thnx!”

Dee Dee Green, Key West: “I use it a lot. Most of the time it is great. 15-20 seems about the average time. They there are the times its 1 to 1.5 hours (rush hour). They do have issues with logistics. Drivers say they can see all cars and ride requests. Seems most of the time, even if a car is empty and close to a person, they will see a different car from other side of the island is assigned the pickup. Also, estimate times. Sometimes app waits 15 minutes before telling you estimated time (this is usually when busy). Also, it will say ride is arriving and I can see car is still far away. I would like if the app added a tip option. All said, this has been a great option. Oh, it ends at 9pm. It will be great if the program extends at least until 11 pm.”

Robert Stadnycki, Key West: Used it yesterday. Perfect service.”

One of the drawbacks of an on-demand service is that some people compare it to Uber and Lyft where the wait times on this island are usually just minutes:

Vinny Koi, Key West: Tried it several times. Wait times are way too long. I’d love to support it but when I have to wait 15-20 mins for a pickup compared to 1-2 minutes for an Uber, it’s not worth it.”

Jill Marie, Key West: “LOVE IT…when I can get one….Wait times are outrageous. I usually just end up call an Uber.”

Mulan Luangvitham, Key West: “Waiting time is long so plan ahead or have your day free…it’s $2 so if you’re in a rush take Uber…I wish that you can leave tips on your card…and I wish that the app can tell you how many ppl are in queue.”

As Richard Clark points out most people realize that for a $2 transit ride, there are going to be some compromises and many of the respondents agreed.

Misty Fulk, Key West: I’ve never had a problem with it! Except in the afternoon but early morning it is always great.”

Ryan Beer Adelphia, Key West: “Affordable and comfortable ride for when you aren’t in a hurry. I use it every few weeks instead of Uber.”

Some people didn’t like it when they tried it, others have problems with the app, while others chimed in that they didn’t like the idea of our local governments providing the service or wanted fixed route instead:

Walter Leeman, Key West: “The app is a pain in the a.. Along with letting them know. They could have been a good option but are not.”

Steven Tepper, Key West: “The wait times are too long to be practical, and they sometimes increase while you wait. This funding/system should have gone to provide better service for Key West Rides. If only the County and City knew how to work together.”

Thomas Mullet, Key West: “It’s replacing a car with a car? I’m confused how this helps? Parking I understand but dozens of trips are still being done only by a different car. It’s a city UBER? (Investing in) cycling would have been a real difference maker.”

Mr. Mullet may have a point about using a car to get mostly individuals around because with buses the ride is shared by lots of people. So, we asked Mr. Clark about that, and he replied that “About 25% of the trips are shared rides.” So, it’s a bit better than a personal Uber ride but not quite as good (efficient, beneficial, etc.) as traditional fixed-route transit…

Looking Ahead to the Future

…And so that brings us back to what this all means and what the future of transit should be in Key West and the Florida Keys. We asked Mr. Clark what’s in store for the near term and he said:

“In 2025 we have been asked to look into taking over the management of Islamorada’s service. Also, we are planning on how we build similar systems in Key Largo, Marathon/KCB and Big Pine-Cudjoe.”

Congrats are due to Mr. Clarke and the County for trying and getting something done. Back in the summer, Mr. Clark explained they’ve got to start somewhere, and Stock Island and Key West are underserved, and the City’s Key West Transit is struggling to meet demand. We agreed as we’ve written about here,  here, here and here. That and it was easy and quick for the County to hire Freebee to provide the service as a turnkey project.

Mr. Clark also told us there was more demand for transit than Key West Transit’s family of services could provide. Six months in the stats are showing there is indeed a market for more transit as there’s been no drop off in Key West Rides. Given this and the great numbers for the start of the service, we’d like to see more County investment in Stock Island and Key West before turning up the Keys, but that was always part of the original vision.

In a popular story last spring (A New Transit Service Is Coming This Summer. Our Workforce Needs It and Much More Transit Up and Down the Keys, May 24, 2024) we shared in detail Mr. Clark’s vision for a unified transit service county-wide with 30 minute continuous service over the entire length of the Overseas Highway, supplemented by on-demand service in the neighborhood hubs along the highway and a family of fixed-route circulator services on the islands of Key West and Stock Island.

Let’s Encourage the County and City to Make Better Transit

We’ve been down this path before of having nice plans that seem to go nowhere. So, it is good news the County’s Conch Connect is off to a fantastic start. The City/Key West Transit and County need to work together on building more and better transit options because our residents and workers increasingly live and work in more spread out places that cross jurisdictional lines. Our workers in particular need frequent, easy and reliable options to the high costs of owning and operating a vehicle, especially because our rent is so high.

Accomplishing this will help ease our workforce’s burden, take cars off our congested main road, reduce parking conflicts downtown, help clean our environment, assist our local Mom & Pop Shops be more prosperous and make our island chain paradise healthier and happier too.

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Rebuild of South Street Is Complete and Includes Brand New Bike Lane

Posted on January 17, 2025     1 Comment

By Chris Hamilton. Story is cross posted at KONK Life on January 17, 2025. Follow us at  Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown on Facebook.

A $3.5 million dollar City rebuild of South Street between Duval and Reynolds Streets is wrapping up as the first coat of paint has gone down on the newly repaved and well-traveled street. Prior to the fresh paving FKAA utilities work was done and then new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalks and curb ramps, better drainage facilities with new curb and gutter, and new street trees were all installed. And yes, another wider than usual, brand new bicycle lane where none had existed before was installed for the entire length of the project going south towards the Southernmost Point Buoy.

We say “another” because just last April the City completed a similar rebuild project on United Street with all the same amenities and a brand new bike lane where none had existed before going northbound. Together the new South and United Street bicycle lanes act similar to the Fleming and Southard Streets bike lane pair in getting people into and out of downtown. They help create a more connected network of lanes that provide easier and safer riding for bicycles and cars. That’s good news that should be celebrated!

Wider Is Better and Safer and Bike Lanes, Even When Next to Parking Are Better Than Sharrows

Along South Street the new inbound bike lane is designed to be 4’ wide with 2’ feet of buffer space for a total of 6’. We’re told this is considered narrow for a door-zone bike lane by State minimum standards, but it’s larger than the 5’ width local bicyclists are familiar with along Southard and Fleming Streets.

The less than a year old United Street bike lane, where it is adjacent to on-street parking, is about to 7’ feet wide to provide some buffer space for bicyclists from car doors. The parking stalls are narrow to encourage motorists to park close to the curb. Along the rest of United, the bike lane is 5’ feet wide as there is no parking.

So wider is safer and that’s better.

For those that abhor any bike lanes next to parking we’d point out that 1. While dooring is a legitimate safety concern, bicycles always have the right to get out of the bicycle lane and “take the road” by moving into the traffic lane if they feel safer there. And 2. A bicycle lane next to parking – and again these are wider than those installed in the past – is still better than no lane at all.

We’ve interviewed lots of people on bicycles on the Southard and Fleming pair of bike lanes. And while people on bicycles would prefer no parking next to their lane, the reality is that this City doesn’t give up parking. So when asked to choose between a lane next to parking or Sharrows or no lane, nearly all bicyclists say please give us a lane.

So again, we consider these two new bicycle lanes, where none had existed before, progress, and we’d love to see more. Furthermore…

New Bike Lanes Enhance the Network Effect

There are many examples in Key West of pieces of bike trails and lanes that just end, leaving riders with no choice but to suddenly mix with cars, Southard Street being our most egregious example, often on our most crowded and busy streets. In surveys people say the lack of a connected network of safe bicycle facilities to get them to work, shop and play, is what inhibits many people from riding a bike for transportation. The new South United and Street bike lanes will help better connect with a growing network on this side of town.

The bike lanes map here shows the new bicycle lane pair connecting to the Reynolds Street bike lanes which take you to Higgs Beach and beyond that on the Atlantic Boulevard Trail to the Bertha Trail and onto the S. Roosevelt Promenade. So, this gets people safely from the beaches into downtown without having to mix with traffic. Similarly, those using the Crosstown Greenway from the top of the island at the Cow Key Channel will now be able to get downtown on a safe bike lane.

Better, Safer Bicycling = Better Key West

Key West is full of cars AND bikes and that’s different than most places. According to the U.S. Census 15% of Key West residents’ commute to work by bicycle. That’s a lot more than some of the top “bike” cities in the country. Key West bike rental companies continue to do a record business. So, there’s a lot of bikes and now e-bikes and e-scooters mixing with golf carts, scooters, and cars. As so many of these people on the street are visitors from car-centric mainland places, they aren’t used to this jumble of vehicle types and that’s a dangerous mix. And that is why we need a seamless, connected, and safe network of bike facilities. It also helps keep bikes off our crowded sidewalks. 

The South and United Streets projects represents progress toward that end. To make our little island a bicycle paradise that will help us fight traffic and parking congestion, improve our environment, and make us healthier, more prosperous, and happier too. Let’s applaud the City staff for continuing to move the ball of progress forward.

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Commissioner Lee Is Right. It’s Time To Get Fast Moving E-Bikes Off Our Promenades

Posted on January 10, 2025     1 Comment

By Chris Hamilton. Story is cross posted at KONK Life on January 10, 2025. Follow us at  Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown on Facebook.

It’s time for the City to get fast-moving and dangerous e-vehicles off the island’s heavily used promenades on N. and S. Roosevelt Boulevards and other multi-use paths and into the streets where they belong. Commissioner Donnie Lee is leading a common sense charge to get something done as he docketed discussion on the subject at the City’s first Commission meeting of the new year this Tuesday. Good for him!

Electric bikes and scooters (the stand up kind) have been around for a while now, but it really wasn’t until the 2020’s that their sales and usage took off. That’s when conflicts started as vehicles that easily go upwards of 20 mph started scaring the heebie-jeebies out of pedestrians and people on slow-moving pedal bikes on the formerly bucolic promenades and paths. Just like with our cars and trucks, the e-vehicles get bigger and faster each year, and it just becomes more and more obvious to people using these facilities that someone’s going to get hurt if we don’t act. Let’s take a look at the recent history of this problem, constraints that seem to hamstring our leaders and potential options for the City to make our promenades and paths safer.

E-Vehicles ARE a Good Thing – They Just Should Be In the Street

We start this discussion by stating e-vehicles are indeed a good thing. And they are here to stay. Especially as the technology gets better and prices come down. On a tiny little historic island with small streets, we’d rather people, if they aren’t walking or pedaling, move around by e-vehicles than cars as cars just take up way too much space. And for those who complain about not having the stamina to pedal, worry about arriving to work sweaty on a pedal bike or who simply don’t have the money to own and operate a car, e-bikes and e-scooters are a great and practical option for our beleaguered work force. Just keep em off ALL the sidewalks, including the promenades and muti-use paths.

Commissioner Lee was clear that he thought e-vehicles were good, and that he didn’t want to take this option away from workers, he simply wanted them to use the streets.

Firsts Attempts By the City to Address E-Vehicles

About 5 years ago, e-vehicles became a thing locally and also a menace at the same time. Facebook, the Citizen Voice and the local papers were filled with gnashing of teeth over the seemingly sudden proliferation of e-scooters. Beginning in 2020 the City Commission put a moratorium on new rentals of motorized and non-motorized vehicles as they worried about a deluge on our sidewalks.

A new Florida Law effective July 1, 2020, provided for three classifications of e-bikes or pedal assist and throttle bikes and gave them all the rights, privileges and duties of human powered bikes, meaning they could operate anywhere a regular bike could, including sidewalks. Remember this for later. But the new law also gave counties and municipalities the ability to regulate their use on sidewalks.

This prompted Commissioner Sam Kaufman and then Mayor Teri Johnston to pursue an effort to update the City’s own ordinance to comply with the new State rules and make our sidewalks safer. At their October 2020 meeting they extended the moratorium by another 180 days or longer to provide time for a new ordinance to take effect. 

In the summer of 2021 the City Commission passed the “Electric Bicycle, Motorized Scooters and Micromobility Devices” law or Ordinance 21-12 that updated the City’s code, banned e-vehicle use on City sidewalks and restricted their speed to 15 mph on the promenades and multi-use paths.

When a Sidewalk Isn’t a Sidewalk

At the time, neither Mayor Johnston nor Commissioner Kaufman were satisfied with the ultimate outcome of the newly passed ordinance because the City Attorney’s office interpreted State law as saying the City couldn’t ban the use of e-vehicles on State facilities that were designated “Multi-Use Paths.”

So, while the N. and S. Roosevelt Promenades look like sidewalks and act like sidewalks, they have been designated as Multi-Use Paths, not sidewalks, by the State who “owns” them. And according to the State, e-vehicles in the 3 classes ARE allowed to operate on them. Or so said the City Attorney’s Office. So, all the City, at the time, thought it could do was regulate the speed on Multi-Use paths and thus we got the 15 mph on the promenades. Everyone knew the issue would fester but calls for studies seemed to placate the masses. But…

The E-Vehicle Problem Continues…

Not even a year later, in March of 2023 the City Commission held a special E-Bike Hearing (2-hour YouTube video of it here) and citizen after citizen got up and complained about how dangerous it was on the multi-use paths and promenades for pedestrians and pedal bikes. Again, everyone asked why the City just couldn’t get an exception to the FDOT rule or lacking that, asked why there could not be a separate space for these vehicles off of the promenades. Alas, taking space from cars is like the third rail around here so, City staff proffered signage, education programs and studies and again, that seemed to soothe at least some of the people in the audience. Fast forward to today.

(All of the above was covered in gory detail in our 2022 article “Here’s the Real Lowdown on the Do’s and Don’ts for E-Bikes and E-Scooters in Key West” if you want to dive down the rabbit’s hole. We’ve written about attempts to get bikes off of South Roosevelt Promenade many times and this was the latest: “Is It Really Too Late For Bike Lanes on S. Roosevelt Boulevard?”)

…And Continues

And so here we are today, two years later. It’s baaaack. This time new Commissioner and former Police Chief Donnie Lee has said “enough!” He docketed an E-Bikes Discussion at the January 7 meeting (staff presentation here) and lo and behold everyone from citizens to staff to commissioners repeated what they’ve been saying for the last five years. Here’s just a couple of the many comments, as an example, submitted to the Commission prior to the hearing:

“Hello and thank you Mr. Lee for speaking out about the dangers of throttled E-vehicles on our sidewalks. In my view the increased use of E-Vehicles has done nothing to diminish our current traffic congestion and parking problems. Hotels, schools, restaurants and construction sites that once were full of bicycles are now full of E-Vehicles, bicycles are all but gone. Also gone are the safe, sidewalks pedestrians and bicyclists once used to go to the store, beach, or to watch the sunrise. They are no longer safe because heavy E-Vehicles with large tires traveling twenty to thirty miles per hour have taken them over. These E- vehicles with two people on them weigh as much as a Harley Davidson. No one is safe, the death last month of an E-Biker and the recent house fires caused by E-Vehicles should be a wakeup call to our public officials that something must be done. It’s time to ban E-Vehicles with throttles from our promenades and sidewalks and require them to ride in the road with all of the other fast, heavy vehicles. Reducing the speed limit on North and South Roosevelt could help to make this happen as well as save lives.” Tom Theisen

“Mr. Lee, we totally support you in your efforts on e-bikes and pedestrian safety. Please include South Roosevelt sidewalks along with North Roosevelt in your concerns. We used to walk South Roosevelt sidewalk in sunrise hours, and it is now an unpleasant experience due e-bike commuter traffic. No rules of the road are obeyed, no notification or slowing down for pedestrian traffic.” Joan Burnside

And while it was dispiriting to see everyone in the room going through the motions repeating the same old complaints and solutions yet again, Tuesday’s hearing did provide a glimmer of hope on a number of fronts.

What May Be Different This Time…

Acknowledging Education and Enforcement Aren’t Enough

In year’s past education and enforcement were seen as a panacea and so, City staff would gamely trot out pamphlets and lights and bells and the Police would get some grant money to send out officers to nab speeding bikes or those without lights or those that ran stop signs and everyone would pat themselves on the back that things would be better as a result. So, while it was evident everyone involved will continue the education and enforcement efforts, and we believe even more money should be dedicated to these efforts, however, this time Commissioner Lee and Police Chief Brandenberg agreed that there just aren’t the resources to really solve the problem this way.

Maybe the City CAN Ban Some E-Vehicles From the Promenades

At one point in the discussion the City Attorney seemed to imply that in the past they may have interpreted the State law too conservatively and perhaps, maybe, there’s some wiggle room to ban some e-vehicles. Worth looking into!

Ryan Stachurski, the City’s Multi-Modal Coordinator thinks there may be some hope of restricting the multi-use paths to only Class 1 vehicles instead of allowing Class 1, 2 and 3 to use them. Class 1 e-bikes are manufactured so they can’t go over 20 mph, they are pedal assist and have no throttle. This too is worth looking into!

When An E-Bike Is NOT An E-Bike

We’ve also noticed that some e-vehicles out there are larger, fatter and much faster (easily going over 20 mph) than e-bikes of old. They have throttles and act more like a motorized scooter than a pedal bike that has electric assist. And in fact, these “bikes” likely don’t meet the 3 classifications of an e-bike that are allowed on Multi-Use Paths.

Evan Haskell, owner of the WeCycle Bike Shops said E-bike laws may not be keeping up with technology and changing trends. “If it is going more than 20mph and has throttle,” he said, “it isn’t a class 1 2, or 3 bike. Certainly, more bikes go over 20 than 28 but either way, no manufacturer will sell anything in Florida that goes over 20 mph unless it is designated for off-road use.” He also offered: “Lots of bikes are user modified to go over the 20 mph cap the  manufacturer/seller installs.” One of the officers at the hearing added of these vehicles “Over 20 mph they are an unregistered motorized vehicle.” And as such they are illegal, shouldn’t be on the paths and could be given criminal citations. It is certainly worth pursuing getting the biggest offenders off of the promenades.

Signage

The Police Chief said he been hamstrung by FDOT because they won’t allow the City to put signs up on N. and S. Roosevelt Boulevards’ promenades letting vehicles know of the 15 mph speed limit on the promenades. Everyone agreed they’d ask FDOT to allow this. Well, about time.

Slow the Boulevards So E-Vehicles Feel Safe To Use Streets

We’d add that reducing the speed limit and slowing down traffic on N. and S. Roosevelt Boulevards would make it easier for these fast-moving e-vehicles to ride in the street with the cars. We get it. Yes, these e-bikes are going more than 20 mph and shouldn’t be on the sidewalks, but many of these riders are likely too intimidated to ride in the street where cars routinely travel above the 35-mph speed limit. Any solution that moves e-vehicles to the street must also include traffic calming on the Boulevards.

We’ll Be Back Here In Six Months Seeking a Ban

There was lots of discussion at the meeting about potential solutions from education, enforcement, signs, criminal citations, making bikes get registered and more. The meeting sort of petered out with everyone kinda pursuing many different solutions. Commissioner Lee said unless we get the motorized bikes off of the promenades and paths and into the streets we’ll just be back here in 6 months, and he’ll be leading the charge for a ban at that point. We agree. Time to get this done.

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Work To Upgrade Lower Keys Shuttle Bus Stops Completed

Posted on September 13, 2024     Leave a Comment

By Chris Hamilton. Story is cross posted at KONK Life on September 13 , 2024. Follow us at  Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown on Facebook.

The City just completed a two-year, mostly grant-funded, $1.4 million dollar “Final Mile” construction project improving all 62 bus stops along the Lower Keys Shuttle bus route that ferries residents, workers and visitors between Marathon and downtown Key West along the Coastal Highway. Given traffic congestion on U.S. Route 1 and workers’ laments about the high cost of owning and driving a car, making it easier and more attractive to use the public transit is a worthy project and congratulations are in order to City staff for getting this done.

What We Got

• To encourage more people to bike the “final mile” to the bus stops, a total of 121 bike racks and 28 secure bike lockers have been erected providing new parking for 298 bicycles.  
• To further aid bicyclists, bike repair stands or Fixit Stations were also included at 17 stops.
• Trash and recycle bins were installed at 60 stops to help keep them tidy.
• 43 of the stops received solar flagging stations that include a light that is activated when passengers are present for safety and to help the bus driver notice riders in the dark.
• And all 62 bus stops got map and schedule information signs attached to the poles. As a lack of information at bus stops has been a subject of multiple articles (here and here), we are particularly  pleased to see how nice these turned out.

Why This Is Important

Ridership has not climbed back to pre-Covid levels on Key West Transit services within the City and Stock Island. But Lower Keys Shuttle customer levels have been climbing in recent years and is the only service projected to surpass pre-Covid levels this year. So, investing in this steady workhorse of a route is smart.

As more workers are forced to live up the Keys because of high housing costs,  providing viable transportation alternatives to needing to own and operate a car to commute for work helps our beleaguered workforce.

Here’s what Ryan Stachurski, The City’s Multi-Modal Coordinator, who has overseen this project puts it:

“This Final Mile project, paid for with federal grant funding and a small portion of parking revenue, is a step forward for our Department of Transportation in providing world-class alternative transportation service. By improving bus stop amenities, we can provide better service to existing riders and encourage others to make the switch. By including a bus or a bike trip in their commutes, riders can minimize their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions as well as reducing traffic – something that almost everyone can appreciate.”

What the City/County Should Do Next – Add More Frequent Service

With this new investment in bus stops the City and County should add more frequent service if it really wants to entice more people to use public transit instead of driving. Currently there are only 10 trips in each direction per day at between 90 minutes and two hours apart. That should be cut to every 60 and then every 30 minutes in the next few years.

We All Win When We Invest In Great Public Transit

Kudos to Ryan Stachurski who oversaw the Final Mile project and got additional money for it and to Alison Higgins who wrote the original grant back in 2019. We should celebrate when City staff pull together and get good things done.

Public transit is a basic city service that needs more investment like this. Making our bus service better eases our workforce’s burden so every adult in a household doesn’t need a car to get around. It takes vehicles off our congested streets, reduces parking conflicts downtown, helps address environmental issues, assists our local Mom and Pop retailers to be more prosperous and makes our little island healthier and happier.

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Previous stories on the Final Mile project:

• City to Begin Work On Making It Easy to Bike to Lower Keys Shuttle and Enhancing Bus Stops from Marathon to Key West, November 4, 2022

• City to Make It Easier to Bike to the Lower Keys Shuttle Bus, August 20, 2021

For more information on all of Key West Transit’s bus service visit our Getting Around Key West by Bus page. We also have a bike, walk and parking page too.

Come on Man! Wrap and Brand the Duval Loop Buses!

Posted on July 26, 2024     Leave a Comment

By Chris Hamilton. Story is cross posted at KONK Life on July 26, 2024. Follow us at  Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown on Facebook.

We love the campy, colorful Patti the Plumber vans branded and wrapped with the Rosie the Riveter head-banded rubber ducky as their symbol. The vans are instantly recognizable and memorable. Brilliantly we’d add. So, if the Patti the Plumber company can wrap all their vehicles, and they aren’t the only good example in town, why in the world do we still see white bread box vans or blank or generic buses instead of branded and wrapped buses on our downtown circulator the Duval Loop? Don’t we want it to be recognized and promoted too? Didn’t they use to have a fun wrap and brand? And shouldn’t the bus stops also be branded with more basic information? Come on man! We’ve got to do better.

Companies and Hotels Wrap and Brand Their Vehicles

Every company on the island seems to be doing this. Dominos Pizza. Key West Spice Company. Last Key Realty. Kermit’s. Key West Fisheries. Love In Bloom. Fishbusterz. One Call Construction. Frtitas Cuban Burgers. Just to name a few nicely wrapped commercial vehicles that we were able to snap pictures of.

Oh, and let’s not forget some of the other transit vehicles: Oceans Edge Resort & Marina; The Perry Hotel; Havana Cabana; The Hop On! (24 North, Fairfield, The Gates and Hilton Garden Inn hotels); not to mention the iconic Trolley Tours buses. And we couldn’t seem to catch the chocolate chip cookie Double Tree Resort by Hilton van, but we know it’s out there. And UPS’ iconic brown vans and FedEx vans are instantly recognizable all over town too.

We’ll bet you’ve already likely seen and recognized the cute little Conch Connect on-demand transit 4-passenger Tesla vehicles the County rolled out on July 15. With so many companies doing it and doing it nicely, this obviously isn’t rocket science. So how about it Key West Transit?

Vehicles Are Moving Billboards – Why Wouldn’t You Use It?

Imagine being able to advertise your company or service on a 15 or 30 foot moving billboard all over town. For 12 hours a day. Then multiply this by two or more. It would be worth a lot of advertising dollars. And this is why all of the companies above, use whatever space on their vehicles they have to advertise their services by branding and wrapping them. And in the case of the hotels and Trolley – so their customers can find the bus. So why is the City sending out blank or generic vehicles instead of advertising the Duval Loop? Especially when they spend nearly zero dollars on any marketing of this service.

Once Upon A Time the Duval Loop Buses Were Wrapped and Branded

Once upon a time the Duval Loop was awesome. When it debuted in the summer of 2017 the buses were branded and wrapped in the pink and blue colors of Key West. “Ride Free and Frequent” was emblazoned across the top. “Get there. Have fun. Get back.” was a nice motto on it too. And a route map took up much of the side of the bus. Instantly recognizable. And the branding told you what the bus did and where it went. It was a bus AND it advertised the Loop’s story all in one. Visitors could quickly understand. Oh, this is the free and frequent bus, and this is where it goes.  

And then when the buses returned after Covid we didn’t see these buses anymore.

Here’s what a local hotel worker, LuighAine, said:

“I tell guest of the hotel everyday, many times a day, about the Loop. They come back so confused. They can’t find them, they got on a wrong bus,ect….Maps should be on signs at each stop, like they used to be. Not everyone is tech savvy, or from the U.S.A. I agree, do better! And they wonder, why ridership is down.”

Bus Stops as Branding Opportunities Too

The current Duval Loop bus stops do have a cute pink and round Duval Loop logo atop the poles. Of course, that cute pink Duval Loop logo would make more sense if it was also on the bus. Or on advertising all over the island. The pole sign also says, “Ride Free and Frequent.” Good but not enough as it doesn’t share the hours, nor where the bus goes, nor really what “frequent” means. So, unless a passerby or visitor takes the time to think about it and snap onto the QR code on the sign, then there isn’t much information. And again, it doesn’t seem to relate to any vehicles on the street.

Every bus stop should have a map, the hours, cost and the frequency of the service. The bus stop, like the side of the bus, is a branding and marketing opportunity to tell the novice about what’s going on. With 18 Duval Loop bus stops, Key West Transit has 18 physical places to advertise and entice people to use the service. To tell a good story.

Like the outside of the buses, this is currently a wasted opportunity.

And for Goodness Sakes, Please Do Some Marketing

Wrapping the buses and upgrading the bus stops are musts. And the City should also spend some money marketing the Duval Loop as well as the Work Force Express, Key West Rides and Lower Keys Shuttle. Here’s some stories on how they can and should do that.

• Ten Ways to Make Car-Free Key West a Reality for Visitors – Part 1: Marketing April 8, 2022
• Key West Transit’s New On-Demand Service Is Off and Running. Now the City Needs to Put Real Marketing Money Into It December 9, 2022
• The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – A Dozen Marketing Things KW Transit Can Do to Increase Ridership April 9, 2021

What the City Says About the Blank Buses

We asked Key West Transit a couple months ago about why the buses weren’t wrapped and here is their response:

“Initially the Duval Loop buses were wrapped; however, this has had a negative effect on bus replacement. All buses must reach their useful life before replacements can be procured. Current FDOT release of lien standards require buses to have 12 years of service and been driven 500,000 miles. Given that mileage requirement, using exclusive branded Duval Loop buses would prolong the service of the buses, thus increasing maintenance costs as well as experiencing aesthetic degradation. The Transit Department has adopted a practice where all buses are routinely rotated into other routes such as the Lower Keys Shuttle.”

I’m not sure we understand what they are saying and certainly don’t buy it. I can’t think of a transit company worth its salt anywhere in the world that doesn’t brand their buses. Whatever they are saying, it simply sounds like an excuse for not trying harder.

Some Progress, But We Can and Should Do Better

Since the transit system came back online from Covid, they’ve mostly run one bus on the Duval Loop, making a mockery of the “frequent” in their Free and Frequent motto. But over the last half year or so we’ve noticed that now there are, at least for most of the time, two buses at a time on the route, providing 20-30 minute headways. Progress. We’d also heard from a lot of riders that the real-time bus tracker at kwtransit.com never seemed to work. A couple of months ago they fixed that too by installing a brand new system. It now works very well. So good on our friends at Key West Transit for making some progress.

To build on that progress the City should wrap and brand the Duval Loop buses and upgrade all of the bus stops too. The appearance of the buses and stops tell visitors, workers and residents about our community’s attitude towards public transit and its customers. And I’m afraid the current state of those facilities telegraphs an attitude that we’d just as soon you take your car because we don’t seem to be trying very hard.

Public transit is a basic city service. No excuses. We should do better. And our downtown circulator, the Duval Loop, which is something tens of thousands of visitors see, needs to be a star. Making transit service better will ease our workforce’s burden of needing a car to get around, take cars off our congested streets, reduce parking conflicts downtown, help clean our environment, assist local retail be more prosperous and make our little island healthier and happier. That’s as it should be.

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Conch Connect – A New County Sponsored On-Demand Micro-Transit Begins Serving Key West and Stock Island July 15

Posted on July 12, 2024     1 Comment

By Chris Hamilton. Story is cross posted at KONK Life on July 12, 2024. Follow us at  Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown on Facebook.

Recent related articles: City’s Expands “Work Force Express” Bus Route and Potentially Ruins It In the Process July 5, 2024 and background about Conch Connect here: A New Transit Service Is Coming This Summer. Our Workforce Needs It and Much More Transit Up and Down the Keys May 24, 2024; All public transit info here.

On Monday, July 15 Monroe County is rolling out a new on-demand, Uber-like micro-transit service called “Conch Connect” on the islands of Key West and Stock Island with the hope of relieving some pressure on the City’s family of Key West Transit services. It will be run by the Freebee company which operates in 40 cities, mostly across mainland Florida, including a just expanded 2-year-old service in downtown Islamorada.

Yes, you read that right. Micro-transit. You see these aren’t your father’s transit buses. To begin with there will be five 4-passenger electric Tesla vehicles + 1 wheel chair accessible lift van, whisking people, often sharing the ride, anywhere within the two islands for $2 per ride between the hours of 5 am to 9 pm seven days a week. Let’s get into the details, discuss what brought this about and talk about what may be coming in the future…

How Conch Connect Works

Just like with Uber and the City’s Key West Rides on-demand service, the County’s Conch Connect operated by Freebee works via an app you download onto your smart phone. With Conch Connect you can pay by using the same app or pay by cash or with credit card once in the vehicle. The hours of 5 am to 9 am, seven days a week, should accommodate lots of riders.

Conch Connect isn’t exactly Uber because, depending upon how busy they are, it could take up to 15-20 minutes for your ride to arrive. It could be faster. It also may direct you to a nearby bus stop or landmark for pick up or drop off, so it isn’t exactly door-to-door. And you also may be paired up with one or more passengers traveling in the same direction. Which means you might be taking some detours. Then again, you are only paying $2 per ride.

By the way, we’ve been told that the drivers are full-time employees of Freebee and make $18 an hour. There isn’t a “tipping policy” that the County is aware of but they say tips would surely be accepted if offered.

Early Rider Feeedback

Prior to the July 15 launch date Conch Connect has ben running practice runs. Here’s what local Kim Stamps said of her experience:

“I took a ride on Thursday (the 11th). This service is a true ride share. They will pick up & drop off of if it’s “on the way”. Theoretically this will move more people.

I asked the driver if they accept tips and it was yes, but not necessary. They’re making $18/hour, employed by Freeebee. She said she lives here – I don’t know her so I don’t know if she’s a local that was hired or if the company brought her down here to get things started – she didn’t know her way around Old Town…I should have asked how long she’s been here lol whoops!

In the app, you can’t see the cars on the map or an estimated time of pick up until you confirm the ride. The driver said if you cancel, you forfeit your $2. I asked her to let the company know this is a problem. I also provided that info in the feedback request that followed the ride.

The driver said long-term plans are to expand all the way through the Keys for about $12, using transfers along the way.

Hope this helps. I hope it helps ease our transportation pains and I hope it saves us some transportation money. I think once people start using it, we will be lucky to get a $2 ride.

They do not check for residency.”

Why Conch Connect

Traffic studies and surveys of residents show traffic congestion is a problem residents and workers want addressed up and down the Keys as well as in Key West. And while the City has operated transit for decades, other than a required ADA-paratransit service and contributing money towards the City’s Lower Keys Shuttle, the County hasn’t been in the transit business. Acknowledging this need, about two years ago Monroe County hired a brand new Executive Director of Transit, Richard Clark to get them into the game. Since then, he and the County have been putting together long-range plans to provide neighborhood level transit, similar to Conch Connect, up and down the Keys as well as frequent trunk-line transit along the entire length of the Overseas Highway. We go into detail about these plans here: A New Transit Service Is Coming This Summer. Our Workforce Needs It and Much More Transit Up and Down the Keys May 24, 2024.

So, while there are indeed long-term goals, Mr. Clark explains they’ve got to start somewhere, and Stock Island and Key West are underserved, and the City’s Key West Transit is struggling to meet demand. We agree as we’ve written about here,  here, here and here. That and it is easier for the County to hire Freebee to provide the service as a turnkey project and they can park and utilize the electric car charging stations at the County’s Gato building downtown. So, this was just a good and quick way for the County to begin their own transit service.

City’s Key West Transit Should Benefit

As Mr. Clark explained, there’s more demand for transit than the City’s Key West Transit family of services (Key West Rides, Work Force Express, Lower Keys Shuttle and Duval Loop) can provide. Especially as they are using larger vehicles. So, if Conch Connect can relieve some of the burden by picking up some trips, then perhaps, Key West Transit in turn can utilize its vehicles differently in the future. We’d suggest maybe by adding trips or a second Work Force Express route instead of the new meandering route as we’ve discussed here. Richard says that all data is going to be shared with Key West Transit and that after 30 to 90 days patterns may begin to emerge from the trip making that are helpful.

Future Expansion of Conch Connect

Richard Clark also told us that they are awaiting word on a U.S. DOT grant to acquire 30 full-electric 13-passenger Ford Transit Vans (5 of which would be wheelchair accessible) that includes 30 low speed and 10 high speed charging stations. If and when received, these could be added to the Conch Connect fleet here on Key West and Stock Island and/or the County could then begin neighborhood service in other areas such as the Lower Keys, Marathon, Islamorada (which already has a City of Islamorada sponsored service), Key Colony and Key Largo.

Let’s Encourage the County and City to Work Together and Provide More and Better Transit

As more of our Key West workforce lives up the Keys it is good news the County is willing to do more with public transit and the new Conch Connect service is a nice little start. Our workers in particular need frequent, easy and reliable options to the high costs of owning and operating a vehicle because our rents are so high. The County and City need to work together on a vision that includes seamless, frequent, easy-to-understand and well-coordinated transit throughout the entire Keys and Key West. Part of that seamlessness would mean using one unified platform and app for transit because at the moment Conch Connect and Key West Rides are not interoperable.

Accomplishing this vision will ease our workforce’s burden, take cars off our congested main road, reduce parking conflicts downtown, help clean our environment, assist our local Mom and Pop shops be more prosperous and make our island chain a healthier and happier paradise.

Good luck to Conch Connect and let’s hope it’s the start of better transit services to come.

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For more information on all of Key West Transit’s bus service visit our Getting Around Key West by Bus page. We also have a bike, walk and parking page too.

City’s Expands “Work Force Express” Bus Route and Potentially Ruins It In the Process

Posted on July 5, 2024     1 Comment

By Chris Hamilton. Story is cross posted at KONK Life on July 5, 2024. Follow us at  Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown on Facebook.

On July 1 the City’s Key West Transit “Work Force Express” expanded the coverage of its Stock Island to Bahama Village fixed route service with new stops at the Lower Keys Medical Center (the hospital), the communities of Ocean Walk, Las Salinas and Seaside at 3900 South Roosevelt, the Senior Center on Kennedy Drive and the Overseas Market. A flyer announcing the new stops said that recent surveys and feedback precipitated the changes.

While the new destinations will include more workers’ neighborhoods and destinations, people traveling from Stock Island to the heart of downtown will have a ride that is twice as long, going from 20 to 41 minutes. And instead of four trips in each direction each morning and afternoon, there will now only be three trips – an hour and 45-minutes apart. While we applaud the effort to serve more workers and work places, and we know their intentions are well meaning, we can’t help but think that the longer more meandering route and less frequent trips are a step backwards. Let’s take a closer look…

Work Force Express an Acknowledgment There ARE Ridership Patterns

In November of 2022 Key West Transit switched from fixed-route service on the islands of Key West and Stock Island to an Uber-like on-demand service called Key West Rides. People use an app to call a bus to the nearest stop which then takes them to a destination bus stop. The data collected during the first five months of operating this new service showed a lot of people making trips requests from Stock Island and the multi-family housing complexes on Duck Avenue to downtown for work. At the time the 240-unit Wreckers Cay workforce housing development (photo top) had recently begun occupancy.

It was such a regular pattern that officials decided to institute a new fixed route service to better serve those customers and relieve pressure on the on-demand service. The now one-year-old Work Force Express debuted on June 5, 2023. The new route started at Wreckers Cay on Stock Island and then took Duck Avenue where it passed by the Poinciana Plaza and Arrive apartments on the one side and Key West Estates (Smurf Village) on the other and then headed over to N. Roosevelt and Truman where it ended downtown. A lot of Key West workers live in these places, so the route was aptly named. We’ve written in years past about the need for better transit service from Stock Island to downtown here, here and here and so liked the new fixed route as a good start.

The Old Route Was Direct and Quick, the New Route, Not So Much

The recently replaced route was direct and quick – one of the hallmarks of good service that attracts riders. With the other hallmark being frequency but we’ll get to that in a minute. A worker catching a bus at Wreckers Cay at 2^nd Street and Maloney Avenue on Stock Island would get all the way downtown at Petronia and Whitehead in 20 minutes. Google maps says the same trip by car is 17 minutes so you can’t get much faster and direct than that. Similarly, someone living on Duck Avenue near 17^th Street would get to the same destination downtown via the bus in 13 minutes. Google maps says a car trip will take. You guessed it. Thirteen minutes. Pretty good.

So how long do the same trips on the new and improved Work Force Express Take? The trip from Wrecker Cay is now 41 minutes. Twice as long as before. And that 13 minute trip from Duck Avenue now takes 26 minutes by bus. Double the amount of time. That’s not good.

New Route Is a Meandering Mess

Those trips take longer because the new Work Force Express route is a meandering mess reminiscent of the old Red, Orange, Blue and Green routes that were abandoned in May of 2020 and replaced with two simpler, more direct North and South routes. The two simpler routes were later replaced in the name of efficiency by the Key West Rides: On-Demand service in late 2022.

Look at the map graphic above provided for the new route we found on Facebook. Note all the additional milage the bus traverses is depicted in red, which is the new part of the route. One could get dizzy with all of the backtracking. And why in the word, does the agency now feel the need to go into the Overseas Market parking lot instead of as previously just letting people get off and on the bus on N. Roosevelt? This is a step backwards.

Frequency and Span of Service Goes From Bad to Worse

While the old route was direct and quick, it lacked frequency and a needed span of service that considered non-traditional work hours – which account for so many of our jobs here on the island, especially in touristy downtown. With just four trips in and out of downtown spaced about one-hour apart in the morning and another four trips out and in during the late afternoon/early evening, riding the Work Force Express seems aimed only at more traditional jobs. Anyone needing to be somewhere mid-day or in the evenings was out of luck. The logical next step would have been to add hourly service mid-day and evenings and eventually move to service on the half hour.

Instead, the new service only makes things worse. Now there are only three trips in and out of downtown in the morning and then again in the afternoon. And they are now one-hour and 45-minutes in frequency apart. Yes, one-hour and 45-minutes in between trips. And while the agency’s marketing touts that the new service now “operates continuously from 6:45 am to 6:50 pm” they seem to have jettisoned the first early morning trip and last evening trip of the day, further constricting the span of service. Two steps backwards.

Good Transit Is Simple, Direct, Fast and Frequent

Simple, direct, fast and frequent. That’s the recipe for good transit that people want to ride.

Simple means just that. Riding the bus should be easy to understand. So should the route. The timetable should either have a simple cadence like 5 minutes past the half hour or should be so frequent so as to not need a timetable. The fare system should be easy. The website and apps should be easy. Keep it simple.

Direct means from here to there in the simplest way possible. Which is also the fastest way. THAT was the old route. Not the meandering mess that is the new route.

And frequent. If the bus doesn’t come along frequently then people don’t trust it. Or want to wait for it. It is deemed just too difficult or unreliable. Coupled with frequency is span of service. If I take the bus one way but it doesn’t come back at night, then what’s the point?

What They Should Have Done

The old Work Force Express was at least simple, direct and fast. All they needed to do was add more frequency and span of service. Three out of four wasn’t so bad. And if officials see a need to serve the communities of Ocean Walk, Las Salinas and Seaside at 3900 South Roosevelt, which is a good idea, perhaps they should have started a separate Work Force Express bus. If it took the same Duck Avenue route to downtown, then the communities of Poinciana Plaza and Arrive apartments and Smurf Village would have twice the service they have now.

We know our friends at Key West Transit are trying to do good. But by trying to do too much or be all things to all people on one route, the new and improved service is anything but and is no longer simple, direct and fast and is even less frequent than it was before. This was a missed opportunity.

We reached out to Key West Transit officials over a week ago for a response to our inquiries about the additional time the route takes and the changes to the number of trips. At press time we received an updated map of the service but didn’t get a response to the questions.

Transit Could Help Key West Prosper

Transit and helping everyone move about is a foundational function of municipalities. Especially as not everyone can afford a car to get about and also because our downtown was laid out before cars were invented and we just don’t have the room for everyone to drive everywhere. So, the City, by making it easy to get around by walking, biking AND transit helps its residents and businesses prosper.

For our island’s sake, we need for the City to go back to the drawing board and get this route right.

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For more information on all of Key West Transit’s bus service visit our Getting Around Key West by Bus page. We also have a bike, walk and parking page too.