On July 12, the City of San Diego and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) officially launched a pilot program for The Beach Bug, a new neighborhood electric vehicle that provides a quick and easy way to get around Pacific Beach.

By providing access to popular locations in Pacific Beach, The Beach Bug shuttle will reduce demand for parking near coastal attractions, make it more convenient to take public transit to the beach and support the City’s Climate Action Plan goals. Operated by Circuit, the service will be free for the first three months.

Neighborhood electric vehicles are all-electric, low-speed shuttles that travel up to 25 miles per hour. With a fleet of four vehicles in rotation, riders can request service on The Beach Bug using the Circuit app, which can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play, or by calling 858-258-9680. A wheelchair-accessible ride is available upon request. More information about The Beach Bug can be found at sandiego.gov/pbshuttle.
“This new shuttle service will better serve both residents and visitors in Pacific Beach,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “By making a connection to a nearby trolley stop, The Beach Bug will give people the option to use public transit to access the beach and nearby restaurants, shops, and other destinations in PB. The size and speed of these electric shuttles make them an ideal transit option for short trips in dense neighborhoods where parking is a challenge.”

In developing plans for The Beach Bug, the City of San Diego and SANDAG conducted extensive community engagement to seek feedback about how people get around the neighborhood, as well as what transportation challenges people face and what destinations they like to visit in Pacific Beach when visiting the beach community.

Locals were even asked to help choose a name for the shuttle. When the votes were tallied, “The Beach Bug” was the winner. Discover PB, Pacific Beach’s business improvement district, reached out to the community to solicit logo ideas. The winning concept seen on the top of the shuttle is a circular design featuring bright orange, purple and blue shades with a wave icon in the middle.

“The Beach Bug will provide easier access to everything that Pacific Beach has to offer including a direct connection to the Balboa Avenue Trolley Station,” said District 1 Councilmember and Environment Committee Chair Joe LaCava. “This is the low-impact ‘last mile’ solution that helps residents and visitors get around, reduces congestion, curtails parking impacts and helps our Pacific Beach businesses thrive.”

Summer hours for The Beach Bug are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays; and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. After three months of free service, the cost will be $2.50 for all-day use, free for youth 18 and younger, and free to those coming to and from the Balboa Avenue Transit Station.
In addition to funds provided by SANDAG and the City, the shuttle will be funded through revenue collected from on-street parking meters coming this summer and located throughout the business areas in Pacific Beach. Throughout the two-year pilot, other funding options – such as advertising revenue and small-fare collection – will be explored to determine the long-term sustainability of the service after the pilot concludes.
“Every San Diegan should have access to our beaches, regardless of if they own a vehicle. The Beach Bug provides that access,” said SANDAG Vice-Chair and City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera. “I look forward to seeing more of these mobility solutions throughout our City that can expand opportunity, reduce traffic and provide environmental benefits.”