Charlotte County transit ridership rebounds; mobile app and microtransit pilot on the horizon

Heidi Maddox, Transit Operations Manager, told the board that public transit use in FY24 rose to just over 60,000 trips—roughly double what she reported two years earlier—and that new scheduling software and a mobile app have helped the system respond faster to rider requests. "We did our official launch in November 2024," Maddox said of the Charlotte Rides app; staff reported roughly 550 registered app users and noted same-day bookings are now possible in many cases.

Maddox described planned enhancements from the Transit Development Plan, including a proposed microtransit pilot that would operate in three concentrated service zones (Murdoch, a Port Charlotte/hospital district ZIP 33952 area, and Punta Gorda) with smaller vehicles and extended hours. The pilot would be funded by a three-year service-development grant; operating costs would be 50 percent reimbursable and capital was expected to be fully reimbursable under the grant guidance. Maddox estimated the three-year pilot's total program cost on the high end at over $1,000,000; the county's share would be roughly half of eligible operating costs under that scenario.

Maddox also outlined improvements already implemented: scheduling optimization that reduced advance-notice requirements (from 72–96 hours down to a two-hour preferred notification window), launch of a community outreach team and modest increases in driver staffing that allow the system to run more routes per day. She said the transit program continues to rely heavily on state and federal grant funding and that ongoing grants and a new driver contract (starting Oct. 1) will affect 2025–26 budgeting.

Ending: Board members praised the app and disaster-response work described by staff. Maddox said staff will pursue grants for microtransit and return with budget-level estimates and grant application details if the county is invited to apply or is awarded funding.