04/09/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/09/2024 08:02
Published on April 09, 2024
UF plans to reduce the current contract for RTS bus service
In March 2024, University of Florida officials notified City of Gainesville leaders of their plans to let the current contract for RTS bus service expire on June 30, 2024 without renewal. Instead, UF officials proposed a month-to-month agreement with the City, beginning July 1 (as they explore other transportation options).
UF's proposal in the amount of $570,000/month or $6.84 million/year would total about half of the current budgeted $13.7 million received by RTS in the form of bus service revenue from UF. This would result in severe reductions to RTS service both on, and off, campus.
Historically, the City has negotiated 3-year contracts with flexible RTS service based on input and approval from the UF Parking and Transportation Committee. City leaders hope to negotiate an annual contract instead for continued RTS transit services.
The evidence provided by UF shows the City may be undercharging for service. The UF Campus Transit Study prepared by a consultant hired by the university found the following: "RTS provides service that is cheaper than the average for its peer systems in terms of cost per service-hour. Cost per service hour is the primary basis for the current contract and an industry standard. To this end, it is unlikely that insourcing the operations or switching to another third-party operator would yield substantial savings for UF."
Last fall, UF announced the transportation study would be conducted. The study was conducted by UF and shared with the City in late February. UF submitted their FY25 proposal to the City in early March. Negotiations commenced at that time. To date, there has been no change in UF's declared intention to drastically reduce services.
Today, UF's contribution funds approximately 48% of transit operating costs and is projected to comprise over 68% of the system's ridership with 3.9 million trips by UF riders by the end of FY24.
The 51 percent cut in RTS revenue would force City leaders to cut RTS operating expenses by:
The layoffs would be detrimental to the livelihood of more than 50 City employees, each one dedicated to providing safe and reliable transportation to RTS passengers every day throughout the Gainesville Urbanized Area.
These cutbacks would disrupt the lives of the thousands of UF students, faculty, staff, UF Health Shands employees, area residents and visitors who rely daily on RTS service.
The City expects to eliminate 11 of its 39 routes, including all 5 campus routes (Routes 118, 122,125, 126, 127) and 6 city routes.
The city routes are:
Route 17: Rosa Parks Transfer Station-Beaty Towers; Route 25: Reitz Union-Gainesville Regional Airport; Route 28: Butler Plaza Transfer Station-The Hub; Route 34: The Hub-VA Medical Center; Route 46: Reitz Union-Rosa Parks Transfer Station; Route 150: Haile Village-Reitz Union.
The City expects to reduce service on 11 of its 39 current routes.
These city routes are:
Route 1: Rosa Parks Transfer Station-Butler Plaza Transfer Station; Route 5: Rosa Parks Transfer Station-Oaks Mall; Route 8: North Walmart Supercenter-UF Health; Route 9: The Hub-Lexington Crossing Apartments; Route 12: Reitz Union-Butler Plaza Transfer Station; Route 16: Beaty Towers-Rosa Parks Transfer Station; Route 20: Reitz Union-Oaks Mall; Route 21: Oaks Mall to Cabana Beach Apartments; Route 33: Butler Plaza to Midtown; Route 35: Reitz Union-SW 35th Place; Route 38: The Hub-Gainesville Place
In addition weekday bus service could end nightly at 10 p.m., instead of the current 11 p.m. or midnight, depending on the route. Changes to weekend bus service are expected as well.
Yes, the resulting changes would decrease ridership numbers which help determine state and federal funding levels. Grants from the Federal Transit Administration and the Florida Department of Transportation are expected to total more than $8 million in FY24.
UF officials are in the best position to answer this question.