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TPO hears RTS budget and service briefing; board invites UF and UF Health to help reshape countywide transit
Summary
After an RTS presentation on shrinking service, falling ridership and budget pressures, the TPO board unanimously moved to invite the University of Florida and UF Health to work with the TPO, city and county on improving ridership for faculty, staff and students and bolstering long‑term financial viability. Public commenters urged restored headways, paratransit access and clearer route signage.
Jesus Goma, RTS general manager, told the Gainesville–Alachua County TPO board that the transit system now operates about 24 city routes (down from 41 in 2018), a fleet near 100 buses and roughly 239 full‑time positions, and that service hours have fallen by about 100–120 thousand hours since 2018. “We went from 41 city routes in 2018 to 24 in 2025,” he said, and projected riders in 2026 at roughly 4.2 million — down from recent highs.
Dennis White, the city finance director, presented audited and draft financials, noting a $2 million city transfer in 2024 that caused a spike in city contributions and explaining that timing of receivables and capital purchases produce apparent year‑end deficits. White said recent year‑end positions showed a $5 million deficit in 2024 and a draft $6.6 million deficit for…
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