BellHop serves a 6-mile perimeter of downtown Bellevue.
BellHop, touted as the first free all-electric shuttle service in the Pacific Northwest, served 40,000 riders in Bellevue from its August launch to January, according to an announcement today from Visit Bellevue, which operates the shuttle in partnership with Circuit.
Riders’ top 2023 destination for BellHop, which operates within a 6-mile perimeter of downtown, has been The Bellevue Collection comprising shopping, dining, entertainment, lodging, condominiums, and offices. Other favorites include the Spring District, home to Bellevue Brewing Co., the Global Innovation Exchange, and Meta. Riders also frequent Old Bellevue with its shops and restaurants, and close to 1,500 riders visited the Bellevue Botanical Gardens, according to data from Circuit shared by Visit Bellevue.
BellHop is an on-demand, point-to-point service for first- and last-mile connections for locals and visitors. Once a BellHop is requested via the Circuit app, the driver will pick up the rider at the designated pickup location and drop the rider off at the location of their choice. Wait times have averaged about 10 minutes. BellHop launched as a pilot program with the goal of stimulating economic growth in Bellevue’s visitor economy. It operates Sunday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“If you need a ride around downtown Bellevue, call BellHop,” Brad Jones, executive director of Visit Bellevue, said in a news release. “Our goal with BellHop is to provide a fleet of zero emission vehicles to help get people to their hotels, Bellevue’s attractions, place of employment, and vibrant shopping and dining destinations. As Sound Transit opens the East Link Extension, BellHop serves as a connector to the wonderful experiences that lie within Bellevue to stimulate economic development.”
Joseph Brazen, 520 Bar & Grill owner and president of Old Bellevue Merchants Association, added, "Bellhop was a big success this summer, a wonderful asset for all of Bellevue. Loved seeing all the happy guests that Bellhop would drop off in Old Bellevue throughout the day, and all summer long. Our merchants look forward to more BellHops in the future. Congratulations for the first 40,000 riders!”
