Will Manhattan Beach Warm To Circuit, An On-Demand Electric Vehicle Rideshare Service?

 

By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Editor & Publisher

Will Manhattan Beach warm to circuit, an on-demand electric vehicle rideshare service? As someone who lived in Manhattan Beach – 40th and 44th streets in El Porto – for many years, I have my doubts.

The first attempt at such a service, called Downtowner, lasted about as long as a beer at Shellback Tavern. For one thing, its range was too limited and at least Circuit will go “anywhere within Manhattan Beach,” according to the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce. It will also go to Douglas Street Metro station. You do know there is a Metro station on Douglas Street, right? It’s by Bay Club and Fleming’s Steakhouse across Rosecrans from Trader Joe’s.

Well first, what exactly is Circuit? I can tell you with expertise because I drove for Circuit in San Diego. It is a little metal buggy that is free. You use an app, the Circuit app, to order a ride, just like Uber or Lyft. But it’s not like Uber or Lyft because the system the drivers use sends the thing all over the place and the big complaint in San Diego were the wait times. The big complaint among us drivers is that we were paid $20 and hour and hardly anybody tipped us. So tip your driver; the ride is free, after all!

Anyway, the vehicle holds five people and sometimes the system kind of forces the driver to fill up those seats before dropping you off at your destination. So it’s not point to point. The upside is that, especially in friendly Manhattan Beach, you can meet and chat with fellow riders so it’s kind of a social thing.

I’m not knocking it, mind you, but you have to know the real story because it seems too good to be true in a press release or social media post by the chamber. I’m explaining the reality of it.

Now, will anybody use it? Since most of the people who would potentially use it are pubclubber types who don’t want to spend all that money on an Uber or Lyft to go a couple of miles to a restaurant or bar, I would say maybe. At night. But not in the daytime because the distances are so short and most people will be riding their bikes along The Strand.

I also do not know the hours of it. In San Diego, we shut down at 9 p.m., 10 on weekends. That hardly does the barflies any good (plus, there is also the Beach Cities Transit bus which, at only a buck, I call “the Dollar Taxi”).

Circuit is supported by advertising so it’s kind of a rolling billboard for some companies. It is also paid for by Prop A grant funds and is on a a six-month trial.

I say give it a try. Sometimes if the driver doesn’t get “dinged,” then it’s great. But another time, you can be rolling along on Highland and suddenly veer off into the tree section to pick up somebody. Yes, it’s free but also please tip your driver.