- December 4, 2025
-
-
Loading
Loading
As the 2027 expiration of state grants looms, the Sarasota City Commission on Nov. 17 unanimously approved an agreement with Sarasota County for the Bay Runner trolley service to be taken over by the county’s Breeze transit system.
There will be no changes in the service — it will still run the same route from downtown to South Lido Key on 30-minute intervals at no charge to the riders — but the move will result in savings to the city, which will continue to foot the bill.
“By folding it under the what's called a transit agency — that’s a federal designation — it does make eligible these operations for federal funds,” Interim City Manager Dave Bullock told commissioners. “The city has never been able to obtain federal funds to help with this operation, and the county has agreed to basically take over.”
The bulk of the savings comes in paratransit service, that service to be assumed by Breeze as part of the agreement. The savings to the city, which pays for the program via economic development funds derived from the citywide business tax plus $50,000 from the Downtown Improvement District budget, over a five-year period projects at $1.9 million.
Bay Runner funding and cost projections | |||||
| Source | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | FY 2030 |
| Economic Development Funds | $986,734 | $996,601 | $1,006,567 | $1,016,632 | $1,026,799 |
| Downtown Improvement District | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| Florida Department of Transportation | $371,057 | $259,740 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,407,791 | $1,306,341 | $1,056,567 | $1,066,632 | $1,076,799 |
Because Breeze operates as a state-recognized transit agency, the Bay Runner could qualify for additional grant funding, subject to approval by the FDOT and the Governor’s Office. Additional savings are also realized by economies of scale. The city currently contracts the service to CPR Medical Transportation of Washington, D.C., which owns and maintains the trolley vehicles.
At a minimum, though, transferring paratransit service to the county will yield the city $263,718 in annual savings.
Since its inception, the Bay Runner has provided free rides to 554,670 passengers between March 2022 and October 2025. The contract with Breeze is an initial one-year term beginning Dec. 1, 2025, with automatic annual renewals for up to five years.
As operator, Sarasota County will be responsible for procurement, maintenance and cleaning of the vehicles; insurance; and regulatory requirements such as annual safety inspections and drug and alcohol testing of drivers.
