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Sarasota leaders highlight growth of Breeze on-demand service and study Bay Runner transfer
Summary
City and county transit staff reported rising ridership and described an on-demand model that replaced several low-ridership fixed routes; commissioners probed cost-per-trip differences, marketing for transportation-disadvantaged riders and a proposed interlocal to transfer the Bay Runner trolley to county operation.
Jane Grogg, a transit executive leading Breeze services, told a joint meeting of the City of Sarasota and the Sarasota County Commission that the countycity mobility system has shifted heavily toward on-demand service since 2021 and that the change has increased reach while keeping countywide coverage. "We've exceeded 1,000,000 rides on this service alone," Grogg said, adding that the on-demand program provided 386,000 rides in 2024 and averages about 18.5 minutes for pickups.
Grogg said the system operates in three on-demand zones and that planners used savings from eliminated, low-ridership fixed routes to contract the new service. "The average gross cost per trip is around $14 and change for the on-demand," she said, while noting geographic variation: about $20 per trip in the Lido/Longboat zone and roughly $11 per trip in North Port. She described the on-demand app as the primary booking tool (about 92% of users) and explained the models efforts to prioritize transportation-disadvantaged (TD) riders by allowing TD customers to schedule trips in advance and receive discounted fares.
Commissioners asked whether the on-demand service will replace fixed routes in denser areas and how that aligns with expert feedback advocating buses in high-ridership corridors. Grogg responded that fixed-route buses remain the most efficient choice in dense, high-ridership areas, while on-demand better serves large, low-density geographies. "So it's a balance: coverage versus frequency," she said.
The presentation included a preview of a draft interlocal agreement to transfer operation of the Bay Runner trolley from the City of Sarasota to the Sarasota County Transportation Authority. Grogg said county and city staff are drafting terms and that "both boards would have to review and consider that agreement" before any operational transfer.
On marketing, Grogg said the program initially delayed a broad rollout due to early COVID-era uncertainty and capacity concerns, but has since increased branding and targeted outreach to medical groups and Breeze Plus users. She reported customer satisfaction at 4.9 out of 5 stars on in-app surveys.
The board signaled interest in detailed cost breakdowns and in seeing the final interlocal language before approving any transfer of the Bay Runner operations. The county and city said further public hearings or advertisement would be required for fare adjustments that are under consideration.
