GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – Dozens of concerned riders of Gainesville’s Regional Transit System (RTS) stepped up to the mic to voice concerns about a potential cut in funding from the University of Florida (UF) for the bus system. The support for the city bus system and admonition of the university came during a special called city commission meeting on Thursday.
UF students, staff and Gainesville residents expressed a common theme of inability to afford a car and stated the bus system is critical for transportation to school, jobs and other necessities like doctor’s appointments and grocery shopping.
The City of Gainesville called the meeting to analyze the impact of a proposal from the university to change the contract terms with the city for a prepaid program with RTS.
The university’s current agreement expires June 30. In March, UF proposed moving to a month-to-month agreement and cutting its financial commitment in half from $13.7 million/year to $6.8 million/year. The proposal also indicated the university wants to explore other transportation options.
Bus Bickering
On Tuesday, Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward held a news conference and told reporters the city would have to cut bus routes if the city and UF could not reach an agreement.
By Thursday, UF administration responded by sending a letter to the mayor that stated “press conferences and threats of closures are unnecessary and unhelpful.”
The letter also requested data regarding the bus system so the university could assess whether the price students are paying is a fair and equitable.
On Thursday afternoon, the mayor, city commissioners and the public who showed up for the special meeting got a data dump on the RTS. They heard a presentation from Andrew Persons, the city’s Chief Operating Officer, analyzing the impact of the university’s proposal.
The analysis stated under the university’s proposal, the city would be forced to:
- Eliminate 11 bus routes, including all routes serving the UF campus
- Reduce 80,000 service hours
- Cut 52 jobs – most of which are currently filled
- Cut fleet size by 36 buses
“This is not a threat. This is real-world impact when you take $6.9 million away,” said Ward during the meeting.
The city’s analysis also warned of other potential revenue losses from advertising and grants which could have a trickledown effect and lead to other reductions in service.
The university’s letter to the mayor alleged UF students pay an average $2.86 per ride while non-UF riders pay $1.50 per ride.
The COO told commissioners that it costs about $5 per passenger to operate the bus system and the university is actually receiving a significant discount.
During the public comment section, several students expressed disappointment in the university stating student fees cover 100% of the university’s contribution to the RTS budget. One even went so far as to say it’s like stealing from the students.
A UF student government representative stated he plans to introduce a resolution at the next meeting of the student senate demanding the university renew its commitment to the bus service and maintain its RTS funding level. That meeting takes place on Tuesday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the Reitz Union on the UF campus.
Both the mayor and the university have indicated the importance of reaching an agreement.