How LeeTran Connected Transit Riders

to Jet Blue Stadium

Steve Myers, LeeTran Transit Director

County population in 2013: 661,115

8th most populous in Florida

24 fixed routes in peak season

4 million FR passenger trips in FY12-13; 104,000 ADA trips

400 road-miles covered

Operates 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. with limited Sunday service

Boston Red Sox Spring Training an important economic driver for Lee County

County built a new stadium complex for the Sox which opened in 2012

Site selected was 1.5 miles from nearest bus route, therefore outside ADA corridor

$78 million “Fenway South”

The stadium’s seating capacity is 11,000

Complex is 1.75 miles from ADA buffer and 2.5 miles from nearest route

First season (2012) there was no transit service

Outcry by advocates for the disabled that there was no public transportation to a county facility

Received extensive media coverage

Closest route to stadium has avg. 70-minute headways

Route deviation would negatively impact this route’s meets and service reliability on game days

Headways would increase to 90 minutes

Service would have to be extended past 10 p.m.

Additional funding required

Transit Development Plan does not include service to JetBlue Park until 2018

Ranks #22 of 26 on LeeTran’s TDP improvements priority list

Considered extending ADA corridor with premium fare

Considered Transportation Disadvantaged service through CTC

Historically low usage to previous stadium

To operate effectively, new service would need to be short haul shuttle service, subject to FTA charter regulations

Premium ADA service would set precedent

Growth in ADA ridership already straining resources

CTC could not provide service without additional funding

SW FL Transportation Group (operating Bluebird, Yellow, and Checker Cabs)

Offered connecting service from last Leetran stop to stadium

$2.00 per person

Vehicles staged at pickup points

ADA-accessible vehicles

Advance reservations required

Successfully operated for the past two years

Used by both fixed route and ADA passengers

ADA passenger: “Both companies worked well together and communicated easily to make the transitions seamless.”

Service continuing in 2015