SCAT wants residents to give a bus a try

Sarasota County Area Transit wants you to give a bus or on-demand ride a try on Saturday, for free.

And masks are no longer required, a county spokesperson said.

As part of Earth Day, SCAT is inviting people in Sarasota County to participate in “Try Transit Day” on all its fixed routes and the areas served by the OnDemand van service.

“This is a great opportunity to learn about available transportation options in our community while lending a hand to our environment,” SCAT Director Jane Grogg said in a released statement.

SCAT is offering the free rides in conjunction with similar efforts in Manatee, Collier and Lee counties.

SCAT’s OnDemand service operates much like commercial ride-sharing services in four zones:   Lido/Longboat/St.Armands keys, Siesta Key, Venice/Englewood and North Port. The point-to-point rides are designed to operate within those zones but can be used to connect with fixed-route service for longer trips.

The Siesta Key Breeze is always free, as is Sarasota’s Bay Runner trolley.

For information call 311 or visit scgov.net.