OCALA, FL (352Today.com) – At its Tuesday meeting, the Ocala City Council approved a contract to install 15 SunTran bus shelters, work the city says will be paid entirely with federal capital money already set aside for the system.

The contract goes to Ocala-based Genesis Construction & Management Inc., the lowest responsible bidder, at $288,650. Staff added a 10 percent contingency of $28,865 for unforeseen site conditions, bringing the total to no more than $317,515.

The city received eight lump-sum bids on July 13, 2026. American Persian Engineering and Construction LLC of Orlando was lowest, at $195,054, but that bid was rejected as non-responsive. The other bids were Ryan Fitzgerald Construction of Eustis, $325,375.36; EltonAlan Inc. of Jacksonville, $341,627; Blackwater Construction Services of Ocala, $417,919; AJ General Construction Services of Mulberry, $429,125; Ulloa Management Group of St. Augustine, $471,000; and South Lake Electric & Construction of Groveland, $631,885.10.

Public Information Officer for the city of Ocala, Greg Davis, said the shelter structures have already been purchased and are on hand. Genesis will retrieve them when construction starts. The shelters will have benches and solar-powered lighting.

Davis said the city will issue a notice to proceed after it has the executed contract, the recorded performance bond, and a pre-construction meeting. That could take up to 30 days, or longer. Once work begins, Genesis has 210 calendar days to finish. Riders should not expect stops to close, he said.

For safety, Davis said bus stops may be temporarily relocated in close proximity to the construction site.

The 15 sites were chosen for access to city and county offices, healthcare, shopping, employment, and other daily destinations, Davis said.

The 15 SunTran stops getting new shelters

  • Six Gun Plaza
  • Silver Springs Post Office
  • Marion County Veterans Services
  • Publix/Truist plaza on E. Silver Springs Blvd.
  • City Hall
  • Health Department transfer stop
  • Hospital on SW 16th St.
  • Healthcare Options
  • CareerSource
  • Shopping center on NE 2nd St.
  • Ocala Ritz Veterans Village
  • McPherson Complex
  • Winter Woods and the Center for Independent Living
  • HCA Florida Maricamp ER
  • Center for the Blind

The $317,515 is already appropriated in a Federal Transit Administration capital account, from a $6,664,524 Section 5307 grant the council accepted in April 2024. Florida is covering the required match with toll-revenue credits, so the city and county do not put up cash for this contract.

The shelter work will not come out of the SunTran operating budget the council also approved Tuesday. Davis said the project was fully funded with Federal Transit Administration capital money and did not require any operating funds. That separate amendment appropriates $2,057,098 for this year’s service from the city ($788,775), Marion County ($210,865), the Florida Department of Transportation ($837,458), and fares, passes, and advertising ($220,000). Davis said it will not change routes, hours, or fares.