Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Transit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
PSTA unveils October overhaul of bus network affecting Oldsmar routes
Summary
Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority planners told the Oldsmar City Council that a countywide bus-network redesign will add seven‑day service and reallocate runs; PSTA said nine current Oldsmar stops will be removed but most have little or no ridership and alternatives are within a quarter mile.
Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority officials on Tuesday told the Oldsmar City Council that a redesigned, countywide “Connected Community” bus network will take effect in October and change how transit serves Oldsmar.
The plan, approved by the PSTA board and described to council by CEO Brad Miller and planning manager Jacob Lobutka, will shift routes and frequency across Pinellas County. Under the proposal, most local routes — with the exception of express lines and the on‑demand zone — will operate seven days a week to reflect higher weekend demand, PSTA said. Jacob Lobutka said, “every line on the map with the exception of the express routes and the on demand zone will operate 7 days a week.”
PSTA presented maps showing existing routes in red and the new routes in blue. In Oldsmar the agency intends to consolidate and extend some services so a single route spine will split into two routing variants near Countryside Mall and along Tampa Road. PSTA said the changes are cost neutral and achieved through reallocation of existing service hours rather than new funding.
Officials told the council the plan removes nine stops in Oldsmar; six of those removed stops have had no boardings and three have between one and three boardings per day. PSTA said each affected stop is within about a quarter mile of an active stop that will remain, and staff said they will survey Douglas Avenue to insert a stop to fill a small gap.
Council members pressed PSTA on employment centers where recent new tenants (including MarineMax and MicroLumen) could change demand patterns. PSTA responded that the agency will monitor new developments, can make service tweaks during three annual service changes, and typically performs a comprehensive network study every five years.
The presentation noted other service changes countywide: straighter route alignments to reduce travel time, scheduled timed transfers at major terminals, expanded weekend and evening spans to improve job access, and continued emphasis on premium corridors such as the Sunrunner. PSTA said some low‑ridership deviations were removed to make more direct routes and speed connections.
Council members and PSTA staff agreed to maintain communication as businesses move into Oldsmar’s industrial corridors; PSTA offered to survey new employers and to explore vanpool options for workplaces with long commuter distances.
PSTA officials invited input and questions and said detailed route maps and stop‑level information will be public before the October launch.
