The Gainesville Regional Transit System is considering a series of changes to local bus services, including eliminating 10 bus routes and combining another six.
During a public presentation of the proposed changes at the Reitz Union April 4, UF and RTS officials said the changes were to “respond to funding availability,” “improve service efficiency and productivity” and “reflect service priorities.”
The final proposal is expected to go to the Gainesville City Commission on June 5, and the plan would begin June 30 — the first day of UF’s Summer B term.
Will MacDonald, the senior director of UF Transportation and Parking Services, said the university is using a data-driven approach to reevaluate bus capacity to evaluate the proposal. He directed The Alligator’s questions about the proposals to university spokespeople, who didn’t respond in time for publication.
“There were no perfect solutions,” he said during the presentation. “The data tells us it’ll work.”
Thomas Idoyaga, the RTS transit community services specialist, also didn’t respond for comment in time for publication.
This proposal comes after Gainesville announced its new RTS contract with UF in January. Under this contract, the university’s prepaid bus fare program will continue to mid-2027.
UF, who pays for nearly 50% of RTS’ annual budget, previously proposed slicing its $14 million contribution in half in April 2024. But, the UF Board of Trustees and the City of Gainesville made an agreement in January to keep funding the same throughout 2025 until new terms were made.
If city commissioners approve the current proposal, the following routes will be discontinued: 16, 21, 28, 34, 35, 38, 46, 118, 122 and 127.
Six routes would be combined: 9 and 38, 12 and 35 and 16 and 17. Routes 1 and 37 would increase in frequency but remain the same otherwise.
Route 126 would reduce its service from seven days a week to weekends only and switch to RTS vans. Campus Connectors would take over service for routes 118, 122 and 127. Additional proposed route changes would affect routes 3, 6, 7, 8, 23 and 43.
RTS bus routes would also no longer service The Hub, and instead go to the Reitz Union.
With the elimination of 13 routes and the addition of campus connectors, the service change will impact how students and community members get around campus and the greater Gainesville area.
Vinyl Lebolo, a 22-year-old UF computer science senior, said the proposed cut to the 46 route would disrupt her commute to campus.
There is only one bus 46 with the same driver, marked by a Puerto Rican flag in the window, and the route goes from downtown to the Reitz Union.
“If I missed those buses, I walk the campus in the heat,” Lebolo said. “Or I’m late.”
Lebolo has one more semester at UF until her graduation in December. Fortunately, she said, her classes are in Norman Hall, which is closer to her apartment than other buildings.
Jose Bohorquez, a 23-year-old UF computer science senior, said he’ll have trouble adjusting to the route changes because he is blind. Bohorquez uses the 1 route for his campus commute, which will stay the same with faster service in the proposal.
“It's a lot to wrap my head around, especially since I'm just relying on my girlfriend who has sight to tell me what the changes are,” Bohorquez said. “It’s going to be another game of figuring things out as you go.”
There will be another public meeting to discuss the proposed plan on May 8 from 6 to 7:30 p.m in the Gainesville Technology Entrepreneurship Center.
Contact Shaine Davison at sdavison@alligator.org. Follow her on X @shainedavison.
Shaine Davison is a second-year journalism major and the university graduate school and Santa Fe reporter. Outside of classes, she enjoys spending time with friends and studying at coffee shops.
