Okaloosa moves to restructure transit: airports assumes operations, board backs ITN to shift to paratransit model
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Summary
After a month under airports administration, staff told commissioners fixed‑route ridership is low and operating costs high; the board unanimously approved an aggressive ITN schedule to seek a contractor and move toward a paratransit‑focused model with possible micro‑routes to address post‑release jail transport.
Okaloosa County officials on March 24 endorsed a plan to restructure transit after the airports department assumed oversight a month earlier. Airports director Tracy Stage presented ridership and cost data showing steep declines in fixed‑route use, routes with single‑digit daily riders and a current operating cost that staff characterized as unsustainable without one‑time COVID/ARPA grants.
Stage told commissioners the county averages roughly 1.8 passengers per revenue hour on fixed routes — far below national benchmarks — and that monthly payments under the current contract plus in‑kind county costs total roughly $529,000. With CARES and ARPA funds no longer available, Stage proposed launching an ITN (invitation to negotiate) to find a vendor that would assume more operational responsibilities and to pivot the service model toward paratransit (reservation‑based, ADA and transportation‑disadvantaged programs) while evaluating micro‑routes for specific needs such as transporting people released from the county jail.
Commissioners pressed staff on several details: how paratransit eligibility works, whether current fixed‑route riders would be served under transportation‑disadvantaged/ADA criteria, the potential timing and scope of micro‑routes, and how vehicle and facility costs could be handled in negotiations. Staff said paratransit eligibility is broad (age, disability, low income, lack of alternative transportation) and proposed a two‑year recertification cycle for riders. Stage said the ITN schedule is aggressive (targeting an August contract in advance of the existing contract’s August 31 expiration) and that the contract structure will be designed to reduce county general‑fund exposure.
The board approved the proposed ITN timeline unanimously and directed staff to craft the procurement with attention to jail‑discharge transport, cost comparisons for in‑house vs. contractor services, and potential micro‑route pilots. Commissioners emphasized the need to reduce general‑fund subsidies and to protect riders who qualify under ADA or transportation‑disadvantaged rules.
Next steps: staff will begin the ITN and procurement process, work with legal on contract terms, and return recommended contract language and cost comparisons for board review. Commissioners signaled support for an expedited schedule but asked staff to explore practical mitigations for jail‑release transport and to ensure an orderly transition for current riders.
