Santa Rosa Cuts Transit Funding; Jay To Century Route Might Materialize

October 26, 2012

The Santa Rosa County Commission voted 3-2 Thursday to end its funding of the county’s transit system, but the move won’t impact public transit shuttle service that could one day run between Century and Jay.

The Santa Rosa County Transit bus systems operates mostly along the U.S. 90 corridor in Pace and Milton and connects to Escambia County’s ECAT bus service in north Pensacola.

The Northwest Florida Rural Health Network wants the service to fill an identified need for transportation between Century and Jay, and the needs of citizens to travel to Pace and Milton. The “Jay Public Transportation Shuttle Service”, as proposed, would run between Century and Jay three days per week and between Pace/Milton two days per week.

“The Jay/Century connection is funded through a separate grant program.  The only thing that would be affected may be the connection to Milton and Pace if a transit service is not operating along Highway 90,”  Shawn Ward, transportation planner for Santa Rosa County Development Services.

A portion of the funding for Jay-Century route would come from the two towns. The idea has already been presented to the Jay Town Council, which did not immediately sign off on the plan. Instead, the Jay council wanted more concrete information about costs and ridership scenarios. The plan has not yet been formally presented to the Town of Century.

The Jay-Century route operating cost is estimated to be $6,000 per month, with the Rural Health Network offering to pay $3,000 per month for six months and the other $3,000 coming from a grant. One or two vehicles would be needed at a 10-percent local cost match of $7,800 or $15,600. Eighty percent of the vehicle cost would be paid for by a Florida Department of Transporation grant, and 10 percent would come from the state.

Jay and Century would be required to share in a 10 percent local match to purchase the vehicles. Santa Rosa County will also apply for the FDOT grant. If the grant is awarded, the vehicle could be purchased after July 1, 2013.

The public transportation program would be open to anyone, not just the economically or otherwise disadvantaged.

Meanwhile, the future of the current Santa Rosa County Transit system remains in limbo after Thursday’s commission vote — the county says the vote does not necessarily mean the bus service will be canceled. The Northwest Florida Regional Planning Council may seek other sources of funding to keep the buses rolling.

If the bus service is cut, the system will be required to give riders a 60 day notice.


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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News