Gainesville’s RTS bus services changing due to high operating costs, reduced funding

The city of Gainesville’s transportation department on Friday announced a number of changes to its Regional Transit System (RTS) bus services aimed at managing budget constraints linked to reductions in federal, state and local funding as well as abnormally high increases in operating costs over the past three years.

Although passenger counts are moving steadily back toward pre-pandemic levels, with fiscal year 2024 ridership increasing 7.3% compared to the previous year (5.5 million compared to 5.1 million), this is not enough to cover rising costs. As a result, RTS is among the public transit agencies nationwide seeking new revenue sources while streamlining to reduce costs.

Local news: President Biden honors Gainesville photographer Randy Batista with National Medal of Arts

Holiday service

RTS discontinued holiday service as of Oct. 1. The bus routes previously scheduled on Veterans Day, Black Friday and Christmas Eve will not run this year.

Paratransit service

For eligible riders who have a disability that prevents them from making some or all of their trips on the fixed-route buses, RTS offers a shared ride door-to-door service called Paratransit. Beginning Oct. 1, this service has been scaled back to locations within three-quarters of a mile from a fixed route.

Fare free

To ensure the program is working as intended, beginning Jan. 1, riders who are 18 and younger and 65 and older will require a pass for fare free boarding. RTS will add an online application website to register for these passes before the end of 2024.

RTS and UF partnership

The city and the University of Florida are continuing discussions to improve route efficiency for students while maintaining a public transit system that works for all riders.

“We value our partners in the city of Gainesville and look forward to continuing to work with them on this vital issue,” said Brandi Renton, UF’s interim vice president for business affairs.

As UF continues reassessing the most efficient use of student transportation fees, adjustments are planned for some routes that have been funded by the university.

Route 25 to Gainesville Regional Airport

Route 25 will end with the start of spring service on Jan. 3. Given this route’s low UF ridership, and to be good stewards of the student funds that finance this route, the University of Florida will reallocate those assets to other student transportation solutions.

University of Florida route changes

The following route changes are recommended by UF to improve efficiency and service to students and other campus riders. If agreed upon by both sides, the following route modifications would take effect with the start of RTS spring service on Jan. 3.

• Route 125 – UF Campus Connectors will operate this route.

• Route 122 – Returns to the original north/south orientation.

• Route 150 – UF assumes operation of this route.

• Route 1 – Route moved to enter/exit campus on Museum Road to stop at the Reitz Union before resuming the regular route.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville’s bus service changing due to high costs, reduced funding