The City of Ocala is hoping to install a series of changes to SunTran bus routes in response to feedback from riders.
The new proposed route changes will be presented by Ocala Growth Management Director Tye Chighizola to the Ocala City Council during its Tuesday, August 3 meeting.
SunTran operates as a division of the Growth Management Department since the city of Ocala took over management of the service from the Ocala/Marion Transportation Planning Organization.
According to city records, the proposed changes to the Blue, Green, Orange and Purple Routes will create “a figure eight (8) loop” to provide more coverage and more direct travel in most of the service area between the different routes.
The proposed alignment reduces ride time by nearly 50%, and offers greater ease of service for disabled passengers by providing for fewer necessary transfers, according to the city.
In addition, the proposal suggests that alternating the alignment of the Yellow and Silver routes allows expanded coverage to “crucial areas in need of public transit due to new employment corridors and human services agencies,’ including travel from northwest and southwest Ocala to the downtown central business district.
According to the city, the major route redesign undertaken in 2018 did “not achieve its stated goal to provide more coverage and more direct travel in most of the service area.” That conclusion was based on the lowest customer-rated service elements in the survey: Bench or shelter locations at bus stops, number of times to transfer, and overall trip time length.
If the Ocala City Council approves the route changes for SunTran’s Transit Network, records show the city will target implementation by October 1, 2021.
The Ocala City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 5 p.m. Meetings take place at Ocala City Hall, located at 110 SE Watula Avenue.