City of Gainesville and UF extend RTS service agreement through end of 2024
Press release from City of Gainesville and University of Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Today’s negotiations between the City of Gainesville and the University of Florida regarding the Regional Transit System (RTS) were cordial and productive. Discussions were had regarding the current funding model and whether that model should be modified to reflect changes in demographics around the university.
Gainesville City Manager Cynthia W. Curry and UF Senior Vice President Dave Kratzer are spearheading the discussions. At the meeting held earlier today at Gainesville City Hall, the City and the university agreed that RTS will continue to provide its current level of service until Jan. 1, 2025, extending existing bus routes and schedules for six months beyond the June 30, 2024 contract deadline, in anticipation of a newly negotiated agreement.
During the extended timeframe, the City of Gainesville, working together with the university, will explore long-term methods of maintaining RTS bus service across the broader community while addressing the university’s specific needs.
All involved agree on the importance of sustained access to bus service across the Gainesville Urbanized Area while talks continue.
This seems like propaganda to allow the mayor to save face before UF cuts its funding obligation under the new agreement.
Mayor and City Commission are agnostic to facts, economics, limited government, and financial reality.
As the back-Ward Mayor of Gainesville I was too scared and weak to try to negotiate with the smart people at UF. Well I tucked my tail between my legs and begged UF to please please please save me by extending this for 6 months. And as Biden said, ” You know what and the sobs did it.” Believe me folks, I was just as surprised as you were because they were running all over me in our last negotiated meeting.
In other words, Mayor Ward got absolutely dog-walked today by Kratzer.
Oh, to be a fly on the wall when UF asked why the FUDGE UF would pay the city $3 per ride when the normal fair is $1.50?
The 31 rider per hour number is a real problem for RTS. I suggest UG have a class case study in failing business models like RTS.