On Thursday, the city of Gainesville’s Regional Transit System (RTS) announced it is making several route and service adjustments following the city’s new contract with the University of Florida.

According to a city of Gainesville press release, UF’s decision to reduce campus reliance on public transit has led to route changes slated to start on June 30 with the university’s Summer B term.

“We’ve worked hard to protect our public transit system,” said Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward in a press release. “We also value UF as a partner and understand its priorities are shifting. To minimize impact to the many in our community who rely on RTS, we’ve listened to concerns and worked with the university to keep the routes and stops that matter most to our neighbors.”

With UF reallocating some of its resources toward campus-specific transit options, which include the Campus Connector shuttle service, the drop in funding will reduce the RTS operating budget by nearly 22% from roughly $12.7 million to $9.8 million a year.

Route changes were finalized in late May and presented to the Gainesville City Commission at Thursday’s regular meeting. They included the following:

New or Restored Service

• Route 126 – Weekend-only service added (Sat/Sun, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.).

Route Eliminations

• Route 16 – Discontinued; merged into Route 17.
• Route 34 – Discontinued; service absorbed by Route 12.
• Route 35 – Discontinued; service absorbed by Routes 12 and 37.
• Route 711 – Discontinued; service absorbed by Route 11.

Routes with Major Changes (Alignment, Schedule, or Combination)

• Route 1 – New alignment and schedule to cover area previously served by Route 46.
• Route 3 – Alignment change; segment removed, now covered by Route 7.
• Route 6 – Change in route alignment.
• Route 7 – Weekend and alignment changes to include former Route 3 segment.
• Route 12 – New alignment and schedule; absorbs Routes 34 and 35.
• Route 13 – Modified alignment and schedule in response to public input.
• Route 17 – New alignment and schedule; combined with Route 16.
• Route 20 – Modified routing and frequency; includes service into Cabana Beach.
• Route 23 – New alignment and schedule; now extends to Butler Plaza.
• Route 33 – New alignment and schedule.
• Route 75 – Alignment change; schedule remains the same.

Routes with Minor Changes (Schedule or Frequency Only)

• Route 5 – Reduced frequency; no alignment change.
• Route 8 – Reduced frequency; schedule updated, alignment restored to original.
• Route 9 – No longer stops at the Reitz Union.
• Route 11 – Extended night service.
• Route 15 – Reduced frequency; schedule updated.
• Route 26 – Reduced PM frequency; request for weekend service not funded.
• Route 37 – Frequency changes.
• Route 38 – No longer stops at the Reitz Union.
• Route 43 – Frequency reduction; alignment restored to previous version.

No Service for Summer B

• Routes 21, 28, 46, 76, 78
• UF Campus Routes 118, 122, 127 (Summer only)

No Changes

Routes 10, 52

Gainesville’s commitment to community mobility

While the upcoming service changes may pose challenges for some riders, the city said RTS remains committed to providing accessible, safe and public transportation for all its citizens.

“The City of Gainesville is proud of the quality and reach of our transit system,” said City Manager Cynthia Curry in the press release. “To mitigate the impact of these reductions, RTS is continuing to actively seek federal and state grant opportunities, as well as innovative collaborations with local partners, to support future operations.”

In addition, RTS continues to offer its Mobility on Demand (MOD) service in East Gainesville, which provides free, door-to-door transportation to clinic visits, health screenings and other essential community resources.

MOD is designed for neighbors who can’t easily walk to a bus stop or need additional support reaching their destinations. The program now has expanded hours, with morning service available from 5:45-8:30 a.m. and afternoon/evening service from 3:45-7:15 p.m.

MOD riders can schedule a trip up to seven days in advance using the RTS Connect app (available on iOS and Android), or by calling 352-393-RIDE. Notable destinations accessible through MOD include:

• UF Health Urgent Care Center – Eastside (457 SE 20th St.)
• Florida Department of Health in Alachua County (224 SE 24th St.)
• Partnership for Strong Families Family Resource Center (1734 SE 2nd Ave.)
• Cone Park Branch Library (2801 E. University Ave.)

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