Long Island & Queens - Promoting Sustainable Transportation
Circuit Transit Piloted an Electric Micro-Shuttle Service in Long Island and Queens
A GEM car is an electric vehicle (EV) engineered
for local streets and street-legal for speeds of a
maximum 35 mph. GEM stands for Global Electric
Motorcars, a manufacturer of these vehicles.
Photo source: Circuit Transit
Circuit Transit Inc. 
brought sustainable transportation to the Rockaways 
neighborhood of Queens, and the Brentwood and Central Islip communities, in Long Island.
Circuit piloted an electric micro-shuttle service to these communities to serve on-demand trips and bridge the first/last mile gap between transit stops and passenger destinations, with the subway stops in NYC and Long Island Rail Road stations in Suffolk ranking among the most popular drop-off and pickup locations for riders. The service filled an important transportation gap in these two communities, and provided residents a sustainable alternative to personal vehicles to access employment, education, and healthcare.
The fleet consisted of 21 100% battery-electric vehicles, including ADA-accessible vehicle options, and utilized mobile ride-request app technology that supported smart stops and rider-pooling functionality. Circuit employed local residents as shuttle drivers and provided publicly available EV charging hubs to increase local charging access.
Project Details
Two drivers standing next to electric vehicles inside a warehouse.
Photo source: Circuit Transit
Circuit’s Prize project was awarded a 40-month term in November 2022, with an end date of March 30, 2026. Key achievements during this time included:
- December 2023: RockawayRides launched to the public
- October 2024: Brentwood Go launched to the public
- Installed 18 EV charging stations for use by the Circuit fleet and the public – these stations will remain active beyond the project term
- Hired 30 local residents as full-time employees
- Moved over 10,000 passengers per month, on average, across the two locations, with over 160,000 zero-emission trips completed since the services started.
- Offered rides to 10,300 individuals, with 178 individuals requesting rides on a regular basis
- An average of 25% of rides were shared, meaning more efficiency and less congestion in these areas
- A 2025 independent survey of RockawayRides riders showed that:
- 86% felt the service had a positive impact on their community
- For people who live and work in the Circuit area, 98% reported that Circuit made traveling in the area easier
- While 55% of respondents faced high transportation insecurity before Circuit was available, this decreased to 36% after Circuit was introduced.
- March 30, 2026: Services concluded as the award period ended as originally scheduled.
Connect with Circuit at ridecircuit.com/contact .