Chris Murray, 25, a computer science student at FAU, opens the doors of Downtowner
to load five teens and a skim board at the beach pavilion on Palmetto Park.
Then he drives them to Lake Wyman Park.
Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Ron Hayes
On a recent Wednesday afternoon, a young man named Josh Bickley strolled through the sweltering heat from his home on Wavecrest Way, up Palmetto Park Road to his favorite bar, The Black Rose on South Federal Highway in Boca Raton.
“The food’s very good there and the bartender’s very hot,” he explained.
In the bar, Bickley, 34, enjoyed an order of jalapeño poppers, a cheeseburger and a Sprite.
“Actually, I had two Sprites,” he said later, “because me and the bartender needed to catch up.”
When Bickley stepped outside for the trek home, the afternoon heat was still sweltering, and he was full of jalapeño poppers, a cheeseburger and all that Sprite.
Bickley took out his smartphone, called up an app, punched in where he was, punched in where he wanted to go, and pressed “Request Ride.”Moments later a message appeared: “Chris will pick you up in 5 minutes.”
Five minutes later, Chris Murray, 25, a computer science student at FAU, pulled up in an open-air, completely electric, low-speed, eco-friendly cart adorned with advertisements for the Biergarten restaurant in Royal Palm Plaza.
Downtowner Rides have arrived in Boca Raton.
The concept is simple. Download the Downtowner app to your Android or iPhone, request a ride any time between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. seven days a week, and within minutes a friendly and sober young man, bonded and insured, will take you there.
The passenger pays nothing—“no meter, no fare”— and the drivers are paid nothing. But a tip is appreciated and, let’s face it, rightfully expected.
“We make our money from the advertising,” says Ryan Spaargaren, 28, who founded the company three years ago with childhood friends Stephen Murray, 28, and Travis Gleason, 27, all of whom grew up in the area.
“Stephen was a psychology major at the University of Tampa,” Spaargaren explains, “and they had a shuttle over there that took students from bar to bar on weekends. That’s where we got the idea.”
Before coming to Boca Raton, the idea was thoroughly tested in Delray Beach.
The Delray Downtowner debuted on Feb. 11, 2012, with three electric carts. Three years later, the company has nine carts shuttling about 10,000 passengers around town each month.
The Boca service, which began May 1 with six carts, is closing in on 2,000 rides and a seventh cart will be probably be added soon, Spargaaren said.
“We carry everyone from middle-schoolers down here on break to retirees going out to dinner, as well as people barhopping on weekends,” he says.
And not all their passengers are human beings. The Downtowner has also carried surfboards, boogie boards, beach chairs and a Hobie Cat sail. Bicycles can’t be accommodated, but dogs, cats, birds, etc., are welcome, as long as they’re well-behaved.
Sometimes, Chris Murray concedes, the pets are better behaved than the people.
“You get everything from people fighting to making out in the backseat to puking over the side of the cart,” says Murray, who notes that each driver is responsible for keeping his cart clean. “We get a few requests from bartenders or hostesses trying to get rid of a customer, but most riders are good. They’re stoked on life, stoked to be in the cart.”
Among the Downtowner’s early enthusiasts is Andrea O’Rourke, president of the Golden Triangle Neighborhood Association, who shot an email praising the service to all her members.
“We’re big walkers, but I had a stress fracture on my right foot so we called and they took us to the Royal Palm Plaza for dinner and when we were done we called and they took us home,” she recalls. “To get in a car and drive and then park is too much, and you’re not going to take a taxi for such a short distance. It was a really good experience, and the drivers are all young guys, very friendly and very nice. It ’s free, but you definitely don’t want to be too chintzy with the tip.”
Cruising up Palmetto Park Road with reggae tunes playing softly on an iPod, Josh Bickley and Chris Murray were soon chatting like old pals, and when Bickley arrived home, he gave Murray $10 and praise.
“I’ve seen the carts around my house going to the beach, but this is my first time using it,” he said. “Absolutely I’d use it again. Without a doubt.”
No sooner had Murray deposited Bickley than another request came in. Five teenagers wanted a lift from the beach pavilion to Lake Wyman Park.
Murray arrived to find three boys and two girls, ages 14 and 15. Nick Iamunno, 14, had made the call. “My neighbor uses it,” he said. “Today my mom couldn’t pick us up for 20 minutes and I didn’t want to wait. It’s really fun to ride. It’s a good experience.”
At the park, he tipped Murray $6.
Then another call came through. Brian Berka, 32, down from Chicago, wanted a ride home from the beach, as he does most days. He’s ridden with Murray so many times they’re like old friends.
“I always use the Downtowner,” he said. “The service is great, and my man up there is the man!”
A $5 tip.
That’s average. Most folks tip between $5 and $10. Not too chintzy. And some go a long way to thank the driver for a very short ride.
Parked in front of the Delray Beach Garlic Festival one year, Murray watched five older gentlemen walk in and, five minutes later, walk back out.
“They asked me where to get something good to eat, so I took them three blocks down to 3rd & 3rd, this restaurant at Northeast Third Avenue and Third Street,” he recalled. “They each gave me $20, and the last guy gave me $40 to look better than the others. I made $120 in 10 minutes and about $320 for the night.
“It was pretty epic.”
To download the Down-towner app and view maps of the areas served in Delray Beach and Boca Raton, visit www.ridedowntowner.com
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