Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/273295
According to paperwork from Carter, the fol- lowing changes will be made: • Cutting five Express bus trips on Route 90X (North Port-Venice-Sarasota) and one non-productive evening trip from Route 100X (North Port-Sarasota). Other trips to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport will be extended. • Reducing frequency on Route 40 (Webber Street in Sarasota). It will operate every 45 minutes instead of every 30 minutes. • Eliminating Route 71 (Booker High School). SCAT will allow Route 7 (Newtown to Northeast Plaza) to serve the Booker High School area. • Removing SCAT service after 10 p.m. on all routes seven days a week. This will allow cost savings and the reallocation of resources to Route 30. However, this will impact about 50 customers. • Eliminating the 5:30 a.m. Sunday round trip to Longboat Key. This service will continue to be available Monday through Saturday when other SCAT buses are operating. While an estimated four riders use that early Sunday service to and from Longboat Key, they can use a bus that leaves the down- town Sarasota transfer station 35 minutes later, at 6:05 a.m. • Extending the current Route 215 on Sunday (Cocoanut to University) to Lakewood Ranch Hospital and connecting the Mall at University Town Center with businesses and services in Lakewood Ranch. Commissioner Carolyn Mason said it is important to immediately get word out to rid- ers about the changes. "These adjustments will obviously have some impact on some rid- ers. I think it is really important that, as soon as possible, we get information out to the ridership so they will know and … minimize the angst." % As Benderson Park hosts more and more events leading up to the 2017 World Rowing Championships, organizers say more demand will be seen for public transportation to the venue. Photo by Rachel Hackney Sarasota News Leader March 7, 2014 Page 50