Board urged to avert ‘service gap’ as Gainesville moves paratransit in‑house; county seeks costs and timelines

The Gainesville MTPO board spent the bulk of its Oct. 6 meeting on a tense discussion over paratransit and the Transportation Disadvantaged (TD) program after City of Gainesville leaders said the city will in‑source ADA paratransit operations March 1, 2026 and intends to assume broader TD coordination by Oct. 1, 2026.

Jeff Hayes, Alachua County Growth Management Director, told the board that plan creates a potential gap between March and October if MV Transportation — the current TD Community Transportation Coordinator for Alachua County — cannot continue unincorporated‑area TD service at current rates. Hayes said MV told staff it could not provide the same level of service at the county’s present cost and had offered a substantially higher quote.

"They say that they couldn't provide it at the same rates that we're currently paying... the quote that was given is basically it would triple the amount," Hayes said, describing county and state funding constraints.

Jesus Gomez, the City of Gainesville transportation manager, said the city’s March target is tied to budgeted staffing and capital commitments: "What we're planning for March... we will be incurring expenses until March. So any [delay] we're gonna incur expenses if we go beyond that." He added that the city is budgeting for employees and buses to operate paratransit and said the city is prepared to work with the county but cannot promise an earlier acceleration of TD beyond the city's October target without city commission direction.

Randy France, senior vice president of MV Transportation, said MV is "diligently working" to avoid leaving riders stranded and that the loss of RTS volume (roughly 77% of MV's local work) creates inefficiencies that can raise per‑trip costs in the absence of that volume. He said MV is exploring options and will present proposals at future meetings.

Scott, executive director of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council, reminded the board that state law delegates formal CTC designation to the State Transportation Disadvantaged Commission and that the commission meets only quarterly (mid‑December and late March). "If this plays out where the city assumes paratransit service... and MV says we can't afford to do transportation disadvantaged, it boils down to very simple situations," Scott said, warning that the state can make emergency designations but that timing is critical.

Multiple commissioners and public commenters said the board must avoid a lapse in service for medically necessary trips such as dialysis. Spencer Morton, a representative of citizens with disabilities, urged the board to delay any change that would risk riders: "I do rely on TD services to do the things that I need to do... We all rely on, these services." Jeff Lee, director of elder care and vice chair of a local older‑persons group, asked for side‑by‑side cost comparisons: "If you're gonna make decisions based on narrative... where's the black and white comparison?"

Commissioner Ken Cornell and others asked for price estimates and an operational plan the city could present to the county. City COO Andrew Berson and other city representatives said the city has not provided a price for accepting county TD trips, because there is no current contract, but that the city would work with the county to prepare numbers. City staff said taking on county TD service could require roughly five to seven additional vehicles and about 10 more staff (city staff estimated needing an extra 10 staff and several vehicles to serve roughly 15,000 additional county TD trips annually if the county piece were added).

Mayor Ward moved — and Commissioner Book seconded — a motion that city and county staff prepare costs, timelines and calendar points (including necessary state inputs) so elected boards could weigh accelerating or otherwise managing the transition. The motion was discussed and the board agreed to take staff work back to each governing board; the transcript does not record a formal roll‑call tally on the motion during the MTPO meeting.

Public commenters, MV and board members recommended a deliberate staff‑to‑staff process to produce precise cost estimates, operational plans and contingency options, including seeking proposals from other providers. Scott noted the State Transportation Disadvantaged Commission could make an emergency designation if MV withdraws but cautioned that process timing is constrained by the commission’s quarterly calendar.

Next steps: City and county staff will work together to produce cost and timeline estimates and present them to each jurisdiction’s governing body; MV will return with proposed solutions and any interim options to maintain service continuity.