New Rochelle Uses CARES Act Funds To Expand Free Circuit Shuttle

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — It will soon be easier to get around downtown New Rochelle, thanks, in part, to the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

The city announced today that it will use a portion of the funds to expand the Circuit NR downtown electric vehicle shuttle service. The expansion plans call for doubling the number of vehicles from three to six. The area serviced by the futuristic looking electric vehicles will grow substantially to include giving free rides to more locations offering essential healthcare services, such as pharmacies, coronavirus testing sites and vaccine locations.

"By expanding this highly popular service, we enable more New Rochelle residents to take advantage of a convenient, sustainable transportation option, while also providing more equitable access to vaccination sites and medical care, which is especially critical to our region’s recovery,” Mayor Noam Bramson said in a statement announcing the expansion plans.

The shuttles and larger service area will be phased in slowly between now and Memorial Day. The new Circuit NR zone will include the Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital, medical centers in the Wykagyl neighborhood and the Stop & Shop with pharmacy on Palmer Avenue.

"Our team at Circuit couldn't be more excited about expanding the program in New Rochelle, a community that has embraced the service and shown strong demand since the get-go,” Circuit co-founder Alexander Esposito said. “It's been amazing to see the team and community adapt to the current environment and since we've limited the number of passengers per trip due to Covid. Now with demand picking back up, the timing couldn't be better.”

During the height of the pandemic, the fleet of electric vehicles was re-deployed to ferry visiting medical workers between the hospital and their hotel before and after shifts. Now, with some modifications, such as partitions between seats, the electric jitney-style vehicles are back to serving the public at large.

Although the Circuit NR expansion was planned with an eye toward expanding access to health resources, the shuttles are expected to remain popular with downtown workers and visitors as well.

The Circuit shuttles follow specific routes much like other forms of public transit, but unlike buses or commuter trains, the shuttle can be summoned on demand using the Circuit app. The small fleet and limited footprint allows the service to expand for holiday shopping or special events like Hudson Valley Restaurant Week. There are never any fares collected on the shuttle.

For more information on Circuit NR, including hours of operation, visit www.newrochelleny.com or www.ideallynewrochelle.com