FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The free ride service, The Nickel Ride, is expanding to Punta Gorda starting June 1st. It's the third city the company has expanded to after launching in August of 2017. The Nickel Ride first began servicing the downtown area of Fort Myers. In December of 2017 the company expanded to South Cape Coral. It's come a long way from where founder and CEO Judah Longgrear first imagined it.
"The nickel ride kinda started as a novelty and really as an opportunity to serve the community of downtown Fort Myers", he told Fox 4.
Longgrear keeps The Nickel Ride free for users by partnering with local businesses in the areas where the cabs are running. These businesses buy advertising on the side of The Nickel Ride cabs and the business cards that riders get when they use the service.
Longgrear has already made plans to partner with businesses while serving the downtown Punta Gorda area. And he's hoping that expanding there will provide riders with more than just an easy way to get around while they enjoy themselves.
“There no public transit there currently, so we think we’re kind of filling two needs that the city has”, Longgrear told Four in your Corner.
Longgrear doesn't want to stop at Southwest Florida. He's hoping that soon, The Nickel Ride will be everywhere people plan to get around.
