WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — After months of waiting, West Palm Beach commuters will soon have a new, affordable way to get around town.
The city is preparing to launch West Palm Move, a new public transportation service officials say will be faster, more frequent and more reliable than previous transit options.
WPTV got an exclusive first look at the new fleet as the city made test runs through downtown.
Bright orange, all-electric, and wrapped with a geometric West Palm Beach cityscape, the vehicles are designed to stand out.
"We want frequency, we want cleanliness, and we want people to feel like they’re in a premier service," said Deputy City Administrator Armando Fana.
West Palm Move will replace the Ride WPB vehicles, which themselves replaced the city's original red trolleys. City officials say data collected during Ride WPB's roughly three-year run helped shape the design and route structure of the new service.
Fana said riders can expect one major improvement above all else: less waiting.
"Right now we're starting with seven (vehicles), but really what matters is the pickup times," Fana said. "No matter what time you get to the stop, you won't wait more than 10 minutes because that's what people want. Frequency."
The city chose the bright orange color scheme to distinguish the service from other forms of public transportation, including Palm Tran.
Riders will be able to track vehicles online.
Inside, the buses feature auditorium-style seating, standing-room handrails, ADA accessibility, and, of course, much-needed air conditioning.
"What are you most excited about?" WPTV's Joel Lopez asked Fana.
"Just to be able to have an option for folks that they haven’t had before," he replied.
Replacing Ride WPB
The transition comes about three months after Ride WPB service ended. During the changeover, the city utilized a service called Rose Trolley as an interim option.
West Palm Move's initial route will run north and south along Dixie Highway, connecting Northwood with the Norton Museum area.
For many residents, the service has been a long time coming.
"I think it’s something that the community has been waiting for a little while," said CityPlace resident Alain Bernard, who said he used Ride WPB several times to get to the VA.
And unlike many transportation alternatives, city officials say the new service will be affordable: rides will cost just $1.
That's welcome news for Bernard.
"Not only is it affordable, but the age demographic in the area is a lot more older people who need public transportation," Bernard said, noting the rising costs of food and gas.
Easing traffic concerns
City leaders say one of the primary goals is reducing congestion while maximizing transportation resources throughout West Palm Beach.
A fixed east-west route is expected to launch next year.
For residents like Fred Blevens of Lake Worth, the expansion can't come soon enough.
"Fabulous," Blevens said of the idea, calling West Palm Beach one of the "craziest" places to get around, especially during season.
"Any public transportation is good for me and anybody else," he said. "Especially at my age I'd much rather do that than get there and battle the traffic."
If personal rides are more your speed, the city is also preparing to launch an on-demand fleet by the end of the month, which is expected to open access to more than 100,000 people in West Palm Beach.
That service will provide citywide coverage east of Interstate 95 and cost $2 per ride.
"It's cheaper than gas, it's cheaper than parking, and we really want to encourage people to get on the 'move,'" Fana said.
Looking ahead
A soft launch is expected next week, with the service anticipated to be fully operational by October.
But city leaders are already looking toward the future.
West Palm Beach hopes to transition West Palm Move to autonomous vehicle technology within the next five years.
"You see autonomous vehicles throughout the country, but they're not quite ready for prime time in a lot of cases, so we want to make sure we get this right before we transition to a new technology," Fana said.
He added that data collected from the new fleet will help the city prepare for any future move toward autonomous transit.
For now, city officials are focused on getting residents on board and providing a reliable, affordable way to travel around West Palm Beach, one ride at a time.
