For UF football fans looking to park off-campus for home games, the Gator Aider service returns.
After a one-year hiatus, the Gainesville Regional Transit System will once again take over the shuttle service to and from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
The Gator Aider program, which RTS has provided for 30 years, provides fans with parking at five locations throughout the city: the Hilton UF Conference Center, the Oaks Mall, Southwest Downtown Parking Garage, Tioga Town Center and Village Center in Haile Plantation.
Service to the games begins three hours before kickoff so that fans get a chance to attend Gator Walk, and the last bus to the stadium departs 10 minutes before game time. Return service begins at the start of the fourth quarter and runs through the first hour after the game ends.
"We think it is the best way to go to the game, and RTS is excited to be providing the service to the community again," RTS Marketing and Communications specialist Theresa Harrison said. "We hope everybody gets on board and rides to the game."
Last year, the service was provided by the Branford-based company Fabulous Coach Lines.
Federal guidelines require public transportation entities, such as RTS, to hand over non-essential services like the football shuttle to private businesses showing an interest and ability to provide the services.
Laura Fowler Goss, the director of business development for Fabulous Coach Lines, said although the company was successful last year, transporting an average of 5,500 people per game, it is looking forward to focusing on transporting fans from seven different metropolitan locations throughout the state. They will be transporting people from Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tallahassee and Lake City.
"We see that as the next step, to provide shuttles to people from outside of Gainesville," Goss said. "It's great for the environment, it's safe for those who want to celebrate on the ride in and out of the game and it also reduces the number of cars on the road, which lessens congestion."
The price, which was increased from $8 to $10 per person per game by Fabulous Coach Lines, will remain the same now that RTS is taking back control. Single-game tickets can be purchased on game days at each of the Park-N-Ride locations.
The price has increased due to rising fuel costs, overtime pay for the drivers and increased fees from the Oaks Mall.
Even with the increases, RTS only makes a small profit margin from the Gator Aider service, Harrison said.
Fans also have the option of buying a season pass for $50, which will save them $20 because it includes transportation to all of the home games as well as Gator Growl.
Season passes can be pre-purchased starting in mid-August at the Rosa Parks RTS Downtown Station, 700 SE Third St., and at Park-N-Ride locations on gamedays.
"We could not be more excited to be back on the road and be able to carry in our Gator fans and Bull Gators back to The Swamp," Harrison said. "There is a great sense of camaraderie of riding on the buses; it's almost like tailgating but on the bus."
