Hernando, Citrus transit directors defend costs as commissioners press for alternatives

Directors of public transit in Citrus and Hernando counties outlined ridership levels, cost-per-trip figures and funding sources during the Hernando-Citrus MPO meeting, prompting county commissioners to press for clearer data and possible alternatives such as voucher pilots and microtransit.

The briefing explained why the two systems report different costs: Citrus County operates both the community transportation coordinator (CTC) and public service and runs a deviated fixed route, while Hernando operates fixed routes that do not deviate and a separate CTC handles Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) trips. Citrus Transit Services Director Joanne Granger told the board the National Transit Database(NTD) figure for Citrus for fiscal year 2024 was 56,086 total trips and that the agencyestimated a cost per door-to-door trip at about $70 and per fixed-route trip at about $35. Granger said the local portion of costs that year was about $8.37 per trip and that Citruslocal contributions in 2024 totaled roughly $469,000 (comprised of a 9-cent gas tax and ad valorem money).

Why it matters: board members said the numbers affect county budgets and tax bills if local matches rise. Commissioner Loco and others pressed for a clearer understanding of the per-client annual cost and whether alternatives such…