Brentwood GO, the low-cost electric rideshare that ferries workers and students between Brentwood and the Hauppauge industrial park, is staring down a possible shutdown as state support dries up. The service has already logged hundreds of thousands of trips since launch, and riders say losing it would wipe out one of the few truly affordable ways to cover those first and last miles. Local businesses and college commuters lean heavily on the roughly two-year-old program to bridge the gap between trains, buses and jobs.
Launched after Circuit won a New York Clean Transportation Prize, the program was backed by a $7 million award funded by the Long Island Power Authority and administered by NYSERDA. According to NYSERDA, Brentwood GO began as a soft launch in fall 2024 and shifted to a flat $2.50 fare for rides during weekday hours. State officials pitched the effort as a clean energy pilot intended to cut vehicle miles traveled while improving access to jobs.
Designed To Link Jobs And Transit
The service was built to connect the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge with the Brentwood LIRR station and Suffolk County Community College, giving shift workers and students a cheaper, greener way to finish their trips. As reported by Long Island Business News, HIA‑LI and industrial park partners helped get the fleet on the road and hosted the program’s base at CCS in Hauppauge. Riders book trips through the Ride Circuit app, and Circuit’s fleet includes ADA accessible vehicles meant to cover a broad service area.
Funding Runs Dry
As CBS News New York reports, “State funding is drying up for Brentwood GO,” and the gap could push the service to scale back or shut down altogether. CBS also notes that the program has carried hundreds of thousands of passengers over the past two years, a reminder of how many everyday commutes now hinge on those small blue shuttles. Local transit advocates warn that if Brentwood GO disappears, Long Island’s already thin menu of first and last mile options gets even skimpier.
What Losing The Service Would Mean
The Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge is home to roughly 1,350 companies and about 55,000 employees, which makes reliable shuttle links more than just a nice perk. Those figures were highlighted when the program launched and formed a core part of the argument for Brentwood GO as a workforce access solution, according to NYSERDA. If Brentwood GO is forced to cut back, employees, students and low income riders could be looking at longer trips, higher costs and fewer pathways to jobs.
Next Steps
Circuit and local partners have always framed Brentwood GO as a pilot that needs project support to test demand. Long term survival will require either a sustainable revenue model or fresh public backing. For now, it is not clear whether state agencies, utility partners or local governments will step in to replace the funding that CBS says is running out. Riders are being urged to keep an eye on official program channels and the Ride Circuit app for any service changes.
