§ 2.10. Transit Needs and Trends

2.10.1 Public Transit Services

The Transit Feasibility Study conducted by the University of South Florida Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) showed public support for transit, potential routes, and possible funding sources. When the federal 5316 Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) grant became available, the study became the foundation for the application to start transit service along US 90. A pilot transit program was started in December 2010 that provided fixed route service along US 90 and connected with Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) in Escambia County. The program was discontinued at the end of 2012 due to lack of ridership. The demand for a fixed route service in Santa Rosa County continues to be a looked at option.

2.10.2 Transportation Disadvantaged Population

The transportation disadvantaged population includes only those persons who are transportation disadvantaged according to eligibility guidelines in Chapter 427, Florida Statutes. Chapter 427, Florida Statutes, defines transportation disadvantaged as: "those persons who because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age are unable to transport themselves or to purchase transportation and are, therefore, dependent upon others to obtain access to health care, employment, education, shopping, social activities or other life-sustaining activities, or children who are handicapped or high-risk or at-risk as defined in s. 411.202." The potential transportation disadvantaged population includes all persons who are elderly, disabled or low-income.

2.10.2.1 Forecasts of TD Population

Table 2-7 shows population estimates for Potential Transportation Disadvantaged individuals and current Transportation Disadvantaged individuals in Santa Rosa County.

Table 2-7: Forecasts of Santa Rosa County's Transportation Disadvantaged Population

The second group, the TD Population, is a subset of the first group and includes those persons who are Transportation Disadvantaged according to the eligibility guidelines in Chapter 427, F.S.

Table 2-8 provides some of the statistics available from annual operating reports and the annual TDSP update submitted to the Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged.

Table 2-8: Santa Rosa County CTC
Annual Operating Report Statistics

Performance Measure	2013	2014
Total Number of Passenger Trips	47,483	39,566
Total Number of Vehicle Miles	438,178	485,158
Operating expense per passenger trip	$15.33	$19.24
Operating expense per vehicle mile	$1.58	$1.53

 

Source: Santa Rosa County TDSP, 2014 Update