New service to offer free, green shuttle carts between uptown and South End

Charlotte residents will soon have a free way to shuttle around uptown and South End.

Gest Carts — which stands for Green Easy Safe Transportation — is bringing its electric, open-air carts to Charlotte starting Dec. 17.

Riders can order a cart through the Gest Carts mobile app, similar to Uber or Lyft apps.

The company already has locations in Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Denver and Las Vegas.

Co-founder Patrick Dye graduated from UNC Charlotte.

“Bringing Gest Carts to Charlotte is a dream come true because Charlotte will always be home to me,” Dye said in a statement. “Our carts provide an easy, free, and environmentally-friendly way to get around. Our presence in Charlotte made great business sense because there’s so much to do in Uptown and the surrounding areas.”

Charlotte franchise owner Corey Johnson said he invested in the company to bring free transportation with a minimal environmental impact to the city.

“I always look for opportunities to invest in solid companies focused on doing good, and there’s an unlimited ceiling with Gest,” Johnson said in a statement. “The carts are always free and will provide a fun transportation option for people looking to explore my hometown.”

The carts will travel between First, Second, Third and Fourth wards in uptown and South End, according to the company.

The launch in Charlotte will bring about 30 to 40 jobs to the city, according to Gest Carts. Those jobs include drivers, mechanics and additional support staff. Job applications are available through the company’s website at gestcarts.com.

The free rides are made possible through cart sponsorship, according to Gest Carts’ website.

Carts will be cleaned thoroughly before and after each ride due to COVID-19 concerns, according to the website. And all drivers and passengers will be required to wear masks.