SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – This October, you may be requesting a rideshare instead of waiting for a bus in Seminole County.
News 6 has been following every step as the county gets ready to reduce the number of fixed bus routes and launch its own micro-transit service.
On Thursday, the county shared details on social media about its new on-demand transportation service.
Within 24 hours, the post received dozens of shares and comments from people wanting to know where it will operate and how it will work.
In May, the county contracted with Freebee to develop a service starting with 35 vehicles that would take people where they need to go within several zones. Riders will eventually be able to make a request with a smartphone app or by calling a designated phone line, and a shared shuttle or van will pick them up and take them curb-to-curb.
[See how Seminole County is reducing LYNX routes with rideshare services in video below]
Commissioner Amy Lockhart, who helped spearhead the county’s efforts to revolutionize public transportation, tells News 6 the savings will be significant compared to the traditional bus system.
“We are so excited. ‘SCOUT’ is going to be a wonderful way for people to move around Seminole County and get to doctor’s appointments and work, and the SunRail stations,” said Lockhart. “There are so many things that we can do with that name, you know, you’re going to ‘SCOUT’ out Seminole County. Come check us out in Seminole County with ‘SCOUT.’”
Right now, the county pays about $17 million annually for the LYNX service, which includes fixed bus routes, two “NeighborLink” zones, and a paratransit service. LYNX staff recently presented commissioners with an anticipated budget of around $9 million as they scale back service and transition to “SCOUT.”
Commissioner Lockhart says county staff are spending the summer gathering insight from people who use the current LYNX system to ensure that the new transportation system works for them.
“We are taking all sorts of input, all of the questions, all of the concerns, anything that someone in our community can think of,” said Lockhart.
“What can we do to make it useful and helpful for our riders? Because that’s what this is about. This is about making sure that we have a system in place that works for our Seminole County residents.”
Seminole State College, where our News 6 team met Lockhart Friday, will be one of the county’s partners as they launch “SCOUT.”
“We have a lot of students who attend Seminole State College who have transportation issues, and this is going to help them be able to get to class, move from campus to campus, and even help our dual enrollment students who maybe attend Seminole County Public Schools to come on campus and experience taking classes here,” said Lockhart.
The county is still working on finalizing the service zones where “SCOUT” will operate and what the fares will be. There will be discounted rides for students, seniors, and others who qualify.
“We’ve had a lot of comments on social media, a lot of questions.,” said Lockhart. “You know, some people are very skeptical. And they’ve all been very helpful and insightful in helping us to understand, from the user’s perspective, what it is that this service needs to be.”
Lockhart says they hope to tailor the new public transportation system to meet the needs of the riders, and that the launch this fall is only the beginning.
“We’ll be able to scale, and we’ll be able to pivot as we learn more. We’ll be able to move things around,” said Lockhart. “We know we’re not going to get it all right, right out of the gate, which is why we need feedback from our citizens.”
You can learn more about “SCOUT” and give your comments by clicking here.