July 12, 2010
Michelle Coats, APR
CPRC, Community Information Specialist
Volusia County Council
approves flex service for southeast Volusia Public Transit; Seeks options
for limited holiday services
The Volusia County
Council, looking for ways to cut next year’s budget, decided that
eliminating Votran public transit service on some routes in New Smyrna Beach
was going too far. Instead, the County Council opted for a scaled down flex
service.
Taking action at its July 8 meeting in DeLand, the County Council by
consensus directed County Manager Jim Dinneen to include funding for a flex
service to serve southeast Volusia routes 42, 43, and 44. The bus service
reductions were proposed as part of county government’s overall goal to
reduce the 2010-11 fiscal year budget by approximately $23 million. Staff
proposed Votran service eliminations included trolley and holiday service
and southeast Volusia routes 42, 43, and 44.
“We wanted to offer a solution that would get people to their destination,
but at the same time we still need to find savings,” said Votran General
Manager Ken Fischer. “The flex alternative is a modified paratransit service
that will cover the same geographic area of the existing routes. This is
something new for all of us. We will hold an orientation to explain how
passengers will use the new service.” Fischer presented alternative service
options for southeast Volusia which included reduced frequency and reduced
service area. The options reflect savings between $109,000 to $116,000.
Elimination of the southeast Volusia routes would save $266,673.
County council members also were reluctant to support any cut to holiday or
trolley service. County council directed Votran staff to review reduced
service options in place of total elimination of the holiday service. Votran
continues to work with local business leaders and local municipalities to
explore funding opportunities for seasonal trolley which operates on the
beachside of Daytona Beach from January through Labor Day. Trolley service
had been on the list of service reductions because it’s somewhat duplicative
of the fixed route buses Votran operations year-round.
At a June meeting, the county council decided to include funding for routes
24 (Pierson/DeLand) and 200 (to Orlando from the Orange City park and ride
lot) in the budget the county manager will recommend to the county council
for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. Although the county council
expressed unanimous desire to continue routes 24 and 200, the decision won’t
be final until the county council officially adopts the budget in September.
“The members of the county council felt that these routes were very
important and needed to be added back into our budget,” said County Council
Chair Frank Bruno. “The Route 200 is an important feeder to the Sun Rail
which will come online in 2013. The county council and staff have worked
diligently to make enough cuts across the board that we are in the position
to add a few critical services back into the budget.”
The changes are subject to final approval in September by the Volusia County
Council as part of the adoption of the overall county budget for the fiscal
year that begins October 1.
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