Beep, an Orlando-based autonomous shuttle service provider, today announced it is using its autonomous shuttles to deliver pizzas to the Orlando VA Medical Center located in Lake Nona, an innovation hub where the company is headquartered.

This week, Beep partnered with the Lake Nona community and local favorite Park Pizza & Brewing Company to donate and deliver lunch with the autonomous shuttle to health care workers on the front lines at the Orlando VA Medical Center. Typically, the shuttles operate daily on a daily fixed route throughout Lake Nona. With operation temporarily paused due to COVID-19, the company is finding new and innovative ways to support the community. 

“It’s an honor to provide for those who are on the frontlines of this pandemic,” said Joe Moye, CEO of Beep. “Mobilizing our team and partnerships in any way we can to support our communities is necessary in this time of need.”

“There are hundreds of healthcare workers in our backyard in Lake Nona Medical City that are on the frontlines of this crisis each and every day,” said Jennifer Thompson, area director of Tavistock Restaurant Collection, owner/operator of multiple restaurants within the community. “Our restaurants have demonstrated ongoing support for our healthcare workers in these challenging times, and this latest lunch delivery is a wonderful example of the generosity and collaboration that Lake Nona is known for.”

To limit contact with the delivery, each pizza box was sealed, put onto a cart, loaded into the shuttle by Park Pizza & Brewing restaurant employees and then secured by the onboard shuttle attendant. Personnel at the medical center were then able to roll the cart into the hospital once taken off the shuttle upon arrival. Utilizing the autonomous shuttle ensures safe delivery of the food without having to rely on other services and allows workers to remain on campus.

Beep and Tavistock are exploring other opportunities to utilize the autonomous shuttles to serve the community during COVID-19.

In March, Beep and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority launched a fully autonomous shuttle with no attendant onboard to transport COVID-19 test at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville from a drive-thru testing site to the lab building on the property.