As legions of beachgoers know, securing your place in the sun can be anything but relaxing. Some can thank Alex Esposito ’09, MBA ’10 for an option that avoids heavy traffic, limited parking and hauling gear over long distances.

The former Economics-Finance major launched The Free Ride in 2011, to transport locals and visitors among various beaches in the Hamptons, N.Y. The service has since expanded to hotspots in California, Florida and New Jersey.

“It’s a win-win scenario,” says Esposito, a Hamptons native himself. The company’s electric cars, wrapped with advertising banners, pick up people in designated coverage areas. No money required: Operating funds come from paid advertisers such as JetBlue, Vita Coco and Vineyard Vines. The host city may also contribute to costs.

“Building our own brand without taking away from our sponsors is a balancing act,” he admits. “We’ve stuck with a straightforward, memorable name, and then try to get people excited and talking about the service on their social networks.”

Lately, Esposito and co-founder James Mirras are looking beyond sand and sea. “Our concept, applied to a downtown, is greener and more efficient than traditional options,” he says of being tapped by San Diego to grow
a downtown circulator shuttle. 

Also new: an app developed with fellow alumnus Jared Circosta ’09.

“We worked on it for 18 months,” says Esposito. “If you’re in one of our coverage areas, you can just pull up The Free Ride app and catch a lift.”