Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners set $3 on‑demand base fare (first 3 miles) and back using FDOT corridor grant to make Route 99 fare‑free while funds last
Summary
Following a budget workshop discussion, the board authorized advertising a public hearing to set Breeze On Demand base fare at $3 (covering the first three miles) and voted to use an FDOT corridor grant to keep Route 99 fare-free for the grant’s duration.
The Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners on May 5 authorized two transit fare actions: the county will advertise a June public hearing to set the Breeze On Demand base fare at $3 covering the first three miles, and the board directed county staff to use proceeds from an FDOT corridor grant to cover operating expenses so that Route 99 (the downtown Sarasota–Bradenton corridor) can operate fare-free while the grant remains in effect.
Jane Grogg, Sarasota County’s transit director, presented revenue projections for several alternatives and noted the average Breeze On Demand trip is about 5.2 miles; commissioners agreed the base fare should cover three miles to keep the structure simple and equitable. Staff projected average fares, attrition assumptions and net revenues under scenarios; commissioners chose the $3 base covering three miles and directed staff to advertise that structure for a formal public hearing in June.
Separately, staff described an FDOT corridor grant that currently helps cover Route 99 operating costs. Manatee County, which jointly operates Route 99, has moved to cashless boardings on other routes and prefers that Sarasota stop cash handling on Route 99; staff said the FDOT corridor grant could be used to offset the fare revenue and allow riders to board free while the grant is active. The board unanimously approved a motion to use the grant proceeds to cover operating expenses for the corridor and directed staff to proceed.
Why it matters: the decisions change micro-transit pricing and the inter-county Route 99 fare arrangement. Commissioners said they want to encourage ridership and reduce cash handling, and they asked staff to return with the public hearing outcome and monitoring data.
What’s next: staff will advertise a June public hearing proposing a $3 base fare that includes the first three miles for on-demand rides; they will also implement the Route 99 grant-funded fare-waiver while FDOT funds remain available and include signage and rider information about grant-based, temporary fare-free service.
