Nicole Duffer, director of planning for the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, presented to the Dunedin City Commission on Dec. 2 a roundup of PSTA’s 2025 service launches and the agency’s new Connected Community bus network.

Duffer said the agency introduced an $8 Grouper curbside and app‑based airport express from PIE (St. Pete–Clearwater Airport) directly to Clearwater Beach this year and that PSTA had restored a Dunedin–Clearwater ferry operating Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. She also described Spark, a premium branded rapid transit service on 34th Street South, and fare modernization that now allows riders to tap contactless bank cards or Apple/Google Pay without downloading an app.

“For $8 you can connect to, Clearwater Beach directly anywhere on Clearwater Beach,” Duffer said, summarizing Grouper’s curbside and app pickup options. She said the Connected Community bus network, launched Oct. 26, 2025 after more than two years of planning, was designed around observed post‑pandemic travel patterns: increased weekend and evening demand, more tourist trips, and the need for faster, better‑timed transfers between routes.

The presentation emphasized Dunedin’s place on PSTA’s map: the Jolly Trolley Coastal and (renamed) Route 91 cut through downtown, and the new Route 78 now provides a one‑seat, half‑hour service that links Dunedin and Clearwater with transfer points into Tampa via West Town & Country. Duffer said the Snapper microtransit product, modeled on Grouper’s zone approach, will provide hail‑or‑app rides within a defined zone to Park Street Terminal or Countryside Mall at standard PSTA fares ($2.25 full; $1.10 reduced).

Commissioners sought operational detail. Vice Mayor and other commissioners pressed Duffer on whether Snapper could become zone‑to‑zone service, on the Grouper airport service’s effect on microtransit at Clearwater Beach, and on why parts of the Jolly Trolley operate at 60‑minute intervals in Dunedin while other segments run every 30 minutes. Duffer cited vehicle availability and the cost of adding operators as the primary barriers to higher frequency and offered to return with specific fleet and funding shortfalls.

Devin Lehi, PSTA planning data analyst, told the commission PSTA’s systemwide ridership has been roughly 2,200–2,300 boardings per weekday in recent months and that the October network changes showed an early, tentative 6–7% uptick. Duffer said PSTA’s fare‑recovery ratio is about 5 percent.

The commission asked staff for follow‑up on specific items, including the number of vehicles required to sustain 30‑minute service on trolley segments and the funding gap to purchase or lease additional vehicles. Duffer also said PSTA is negotiating regional agreements to expand ferry service across Tampa Bay in 2026 and that the agency is pursuing partnerships with hotels and local businesses to support last‑mile access for tourists.

Next steps: PSTA staff offered to provide the commission with a breakdown of vehicle needs and the funding shortfall for increased trolley frequency, and to return with more detailed ridership and transfer‑timing data.

Reported speakers: Nicole Duffer, Director of Planning, PSTA; Devin Lehi, PSTA planning data analyst; Commissioner Walker; Vice Mayor; Commissioner Sandberg; and other Dunedin commissioners.