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Boynton Beach Builds a More Connected Community Through Efficient Microtransit
Boynton Beach launched the Coastal Cruiser to solve a simple but persistent problem: residents and visitors wanted to reach the beach, and getting there was harder than it should have been. Two years in and ridership has more than doubled. The all-electric service now connects downtown Boynton Beach to Oceanfront Beach Park, moves people through the CRA district, and gives the city a practical, affordable mobility option it didn't have before.
At a Glance:
- Launched March 2024
- 100% electric fleet: two Kia Niro sedans and two GEM NEVs, including one ADA-accessible vehicle
- Fares starting at $1 per rider, $2 for beach zone trips
- Funded by the Boynton Beach CRA and the City of Boynton Beach
- Service expanded December 2024 to include North Federal Highway and additional waterfront parks
- Connects to Palm Tran stops for broader county access
Challenge: A Downtown Still Finding Its Footing
Boynton Beach's downtown is in the middle of a real development push. New investment is coming in, but the neighborhood is still spread out, without a single dense business center pulling everything together. The heart of Boynton and the surrounding CRA district have residents who want access to downtown, the marina, and the beach, but the infrastructure to connect those destinations on foot or by transit simply wasn't there.
The beach sits across the Intracoastal Waterway, and reaching it required a car. People were competing for limited parking at Oceanfront Beach Park. For residents without a vehicle, the beach was effectively out of reach.
Parking at Oceanfront Beach Park filled up fast on busy days, leaving visitors circling lots or turning back. For residents in the Heart of Boynton, a neighborhood the city is actively working to reconnect to the rest of downtown, the beach might as well have been in another city. Short car trips dominated because there was no practical alternative.
The city also had a broader goal beyond beach access. With new development on the horizon, Boynton Beach needed a way to signal to developers and residents alike that this was a city investing in livability. A reliable, affordable way to get around downtown was part of that picture.
Solution: The Coastal Cruiser
In March 2024, the Boynton Beach CRA and the City of Boynton Beach partnered with Circuit to launch the Coastal Cruiser, an on-demand electric shuttle built to close the gap between downtown and the coast.
The fleet runs four fully electric vehicles: two Kia Niro sedans and two GEM NEVs, one of which is ADA-accessible. The service covers two zones: Zone 1 spans the downtown core, including City Hall, Boynton Harbor Marina, and Sunshine Square. Zone 2 provides dedicated pickup and drop-off at Oceanfront Beach Park. Riders pay $1 in the downtown zone and $2 for the beach connection, with additional passengers riding at $1. The service runs seven days a week, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The Coastal Cruiser was designed to meet riders where they already are: residents who drive downtown can park at a free public lot and take the shuttle the rest of the way, skipping the parking scramble at the beach entirely. The service also connects to Palm Tran stops, giving riders the option to extend their trip across Palm Beach County.
In December 2024, the service expanded north along Federal Highway to NE 26th Avenue, adding Harvey Oyer Park and Intracoastal Park to the coverage area and putting more of the city's waterfront destinations within reach.
Results: A Program That Keeps the Community Moving
The Coastal Cruiser launched in March 2024 and has grown steadily every quarter since. Monthly ridership more than doubled from launch to March 2026, when the service carried over 2,100 passengers in a single month. In its first two years, the program served more than 32,000 total passengers, with 615 unique riders using the service each month. Riders have given the Coastal Cruiser a 4.95 out of 5 rating, and the program holds an 85% on-time performance rate.
The environmental impact is real and measurable. The all-electric fleet has avoided more than 27 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, saved over 3,000 gallons of gas, and eliminated nearly 800 miles of single-occupancy vehicle trips. For a city with a growing development pipeline and sustainability commitments to back it up, those numbers strengthen the case for continued investment.
The December 2024 expansion added new destinations and brought more riders into the network. That growth curve reflects something beyond novelty: the Coastal Cruiser has become a regular part of how people move around Boynton Beach.
Boynton Beach has more room to grow. A connection to the nearby Tri-Rail station would extend the program's reach significantly, and the city is actively exploring grant opportunities to fund that expansion. As Palm Beach County develops a broader regional transportation strategy, the Coastal Cruiser is already positioned as a working model for what community-scale microtransit can deliver.
If your city is looking for a practical way to close mobility gaps, connect residents to the places they want to go, and build momentum for downtown investment, Circuit can help you design and run a program that fits. Reach out to explore what's possible.
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