September 16 (Hypepotamus)- Two Florida-based transportation companies are joining forces
Autonomous mobility companyBeep, Inc. (previous Hypepotamus reporting here) announced that it has completed its merger withFreebee, a provider of on-demand public transportation services that are custom-built for the specific communities they serve.
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More about the merger
Founded in Miami, Freebee provides door-to-door microtransit services using a fleet of fully electric vehicles. The company operates across more than 50 municipalities, campuses and business districts throughout the Southeast, delivering more than 2 million rides annually. Beep, based out of Orlando, is a transportation company specializing in driverless, electric, multi-passenger vehicles.
The combined company will operate under the Beep name, with Beep co-founder Kevin Reid serving as chairman and CEO. Freebee co-founders Kris Kimball and Jason Spiegel will join the executive team as chief operating officer and president and chief growth officer, respectively. Beep co-founder Mark Reid will become chief customer officer.
Following the merger, Beep will operate in more than 60 communities and employ nearly 1,000 people. The two companies have safely transported more than 10 million riders to date.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Under the agreement, Freebee’s human-driven microtransit platform, proprietary technology, municipal relationships and operating network will become part of Beep, according to a press release.
Beep’s team told Hypepotamus that the merger developed after the two companies spent several years working together.
“Beep and Freebee got to know each other by working together on projects over the course of several years,” the team said. “That gave our teams a chance to build a strong relationship and see firsthand how well our capabilities complement one another.”
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The companies ultimately concluded that they “could go much further together than either company could on its own,” the team added. “The merger grew out of that relationship; it wasn’t a decision made overnight.”
Florida represents the largest concentration of Beep’s current operations.
But the company has already deployed autonomous vehicle services in 10 states, from Hawaii to right here in Georgia. Those deployments include what the company described as the country’s first autonomous transit network operating in revenue service.
Beep’s recent growth
The merger comes just days after Beep closed its Series B funding round, bringing its total capital raised to approximately $130 million.
The round was led by Mobileye, an Israeli autonomous vehicle technology and advanced driver-assistance systems company, with participation from existing investors.
Atlantans are likely already familiar with Beep’s presence in the city. The company launched an autonomous public transit service with the Atlanta Beltline earlier this summer, as public debates continue around just how to fix local transportation options around the popular urban corridor.
Known as the ATL Spoke, the service connects MARTA, the Beltline, and the Atlanta University Center.
“The ATL Spoke demonstrates how autonomous transit can solve real-world first-mile/last-mile connectivity challenges,” Beep’s team told Hypepotamus. “The service connects MARTA, the Beltline, and now the Atlanta University Center, helping residents and visitors access transit, jobs, healthcare, recreation, and the incredible local businesses in the area.”
According to the team, the program has reinforced the importance of incorporating autonomous transportation into networks that residents already use.
“Technology matters, but reliability, community engagement, and solving a real mobility need are what drive adoption,” the team said.
What’s next
Following the merger, Beep plans to bring autonomous vehicles, microtransit, and other transportation technologies together as part of a broader mobility network.
“We’re focused on building the operational foundation for the future of transportation, where autonomous vehicles, microtransit, and other intelligent transportation technologies, powered by advances in physical AI, work together to offer communities safer roads, more mobility options, greater efficiency, and better access to opportunity,” Beep’s team told Hypepotamus.
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Featured photo byDenys Kostyuchenko/Unsplash
