Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transit Microtransit topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County doubles Scout ridership, approves fare tweaks to boost SunRail transfers
Summary
After six months of Scout microtransit, Seminole County officials said ridership nearly doubled and the program produced a net savings of about $1.7 million; the commission approved modest fare changes including a $1 SunRail transfer cap to encourage rail use and a higher peak surcharge for non-discounted riders.
Seminole County commissioners approved changes to the Scout microtransit fare structure after a six-month operational review showing higher ridership and improved cost metrics.
Assistant County Manager Christian Swenson told the board that Scout grew from about 18,000 to nearly 31,000 monthly passenger trips and that the county is "$1,700,000 to the good," a net savings compared with prior forecasts. Swenson said the system's farebox recovery rose to about 15.8 percent and average subsidy per passenger has fallen to roughly $16.31. He described operational tweaks, expanded discounts for low-income riders, and increased SunRail connections as key drivers of the improvements.
Commissioners discussed several fare adjustments intended to protect service for vulnerable riders while discouraging nonessential peak travel by higher-income users. Swenson recommended increasing the non-discounted peak surcharge and reducing the SunRail transfer cap to encourage use of rail as the service spine; Commissioner Dilari suggested lowering the SunRail transfer to $1, and the board approved that exact change. "We would like to make it so it's economical to be SunRail," Swenson said, explaining the move toward a first-mile/last-mile model.
The board also approved continued pursuit of federal and state funding, including an FDOT service-development grant that will add vehicles, and directed staff to return with progress reports and further metrics. The motion to adopt the fare and discount changes passed unanimously.
