Alachua County seeks applicants for RTS Board
Press release from Alachua County
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Alachua County is seeking volunteers to fill three Regional Transit System Advisory Board vacancies.
The duties of the Regional Transit System Advisory Board are to advise on all matters relating to public transit development in the City of Gainesville and Alachua County, including developing and analyzing policies concerning the operation of the regional transit system;Â developing approaches for financing the RTS on a long-term basis;Â reviewing ridership, routes, rates, and other related matters;Â and to consider questions referred to it by the City and/or County Commissions.Â
The board comprises nine total members serving three-year terms, including three members appointed by the County Commission.
The open positions include:
- A citizen who is a Chamber of Commerce representative, a member of the environmental community, member of the MTPO Citizen’s Advisory Committee for a term ending in September 2025.
- A citizen who is a major employer in the local area, senior citizen, or with a disability for the term ending September 2026.
- A citizen who is a regular user of the transit system, UF student, SFC student, or member of a neighborhood and/or homeowners association for a term ending in September 2026.
Any special qualifications necessary to fill the position? Maybe they could ride around in the mostly empty buses to learn about government run efficiencies?
RTS had 5.7 Million riders in fiscal year 2024, compared to 5.2 Million in 2023. An average of 380,00 trips per month. and they had the highest ridership in the state in 2013 with 10.9 Million trips. if the buses are mostly empty its because the public transportation system is working.
The busses for UF and SFC are usually full when classes are in. Majority of the other routes are empty. In 2013 most college students lived miles away from campus and scooters, electric skateboards, etc. were not as widely used as they are now. Demand outside of college students is consistently cratering and you know it.
Elon Musk would immediately downsize the Busses by 50% ,downsize the overstaffed, overpaid entity. Then sell it to UF or close it.