San Diego, CA - In a powerful demonstration of community and collaboration, Circuit’s partnership with the City of San Diego and Downtown San Diego Partnership is changing lives, one ride at a time.
Circuit, known around San Diego for operating the popular 100% electric FRED program in Downtown, has teamed up with the City’s Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department (HSS) to provide essential transportation for individuals in the Safe Sleeping Program. This initiative not only offers a vital link to services for the city’s unhoused population but has also created a unique pathway to stable employment.
The City of San Diego established the Safe Sleeping Program to offer a safe, legal alternative to traditional shelters, providing not just a place to sleep but also meals, showers, and housing navigation services. Having contracted with longtime Circuit partner and advocate, the Downtown San Diego Partnership, to operate one of the sites, the foundation was laid to find a better way to support the residents of these facilities. Recognizing that reliable transportation is a critical component of success, the City of San Diego partnered with Circuit to launch the Safe Sleeping Shelter Shuttle in December 2023. The service connects residents of the program's two sites to nearby transit and appointments, running seven days a week to ensure participants have the mobility needed to move forward.
This program is more than just a ride; it’s a road to a new beginning. In a move that truly sets it apart, and at the encouragement of the Downtown San Diego Partnership, Circuit has begun hiring former shuttle riders as full- and part-time drivers. Unlike gig-work platforms, Circuit hires its drivers as W-2 employees, providing the stability and security crucial for rebuilding a life.
According to Circuit’s Co-Founder, James Mirras, “This partnership represents the core of our mission: using mobility to build stronger communities. We are incredibly proud to not only provide a service but also to offer stable employment and be a part of the solution in San Diego. Seeing former riders find success as members of our team is the ultimate reward”
Among the new hires is George, a current Circuit driver whose journey has come full circle. Before connecting with the program, George was a finish carpenter and later a rideshare driver, living hotel-to-hotel. The traumatic loss of his father led to a period of immense struggle, and he eventually found himself living on the streets.
His life began to turn around after he entered the Safe Sleeping Shelter and started using the shuttle service. It was a Circuit lead driver, Shannon, who saw his potential and encouraged him to fill out an application. For George, the transition from rider to driver has been profound.
"It's neat to feel the difference," he shared. "I was being helped, and now I'm able to help others". The stability of his new role has been instrumental, helping him transition out of the shelter and into an apartment. He says the opportunity "means the world" and now sees the shuttle program from a new perspective, recognizing its vital role in providing residents with the "freedom and access" they need to get to appointments and rebuild their lives. When asked what he would say to the company that gave him this chance, his gratitude was clear, stating he "truly appreciates the confidence in him and having this opportunity".
The partnership between Circuit and the City of San Diego is a powerful model for meaningful change, proving that when public and private entities collaborate, they can do more than address a need—they can empower an entire community.