PSTA could cut 2 Pinellas transit services, raise some fares despite balanced budget

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Pinellas County transit leaders are set to decide Wednesday whether to eliminate two PSTA services and increase some fares after riders packed a public hearing last week to argue that the value of public transportation cannot always be measured by ridership and cost alone.

Pinellas transit vote

What we know:

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority Board of Directors is scheduled to hold a second public hearing at 9 a.m. Wednesday at PSTA headquarters in St. Petersburg before considering the changes. 

Six routes and services were originally put under review: Routes 16, 58 and 90; Snapper service in Safety Harbor and Clearwater; and the Grouper Airport Shuttle.

PSTA staff has since narrowed its recommendation considerably.

Staff recommends eliminating Route 90, which connects St. Pete and St. Pete Beach, and the Snapper on-demand service in Safety Harbor. It recommends keeping Routes 16 and 58, Snapper Clearwater and Grouper.

The decision could have an outsized impact on riders who depend on PSTA to reach jobs, schools, doctors and other daily necessities.

Fare and fee adjustments

By the numbers:

PSTA began reviewing its routes in February, examining factors including ridership, operating costs, revenue and the net subsidy required for each ride.

But the agency is not facing a budget shortfall that requires service cuts.

PSTA says its tentative property tax rate of 0.7250 mills would produce a balanced fiscal year 2027 budget without requiring service reductions or fare increases. The proposed rate would also mark the third consecutive year the rate has fallen.

Staff nevertheless recommends eliminating two services as part of an effort to lower PSTA's property tax rate and improve the efficiency of the transit system.

Together, eliminating Route 90 and Snapper Safety Harbor could save approximately $300,000.

Route 90 and Snapper Safety Harbor face elimination

Route 90 averages about 730 riders per month and serves destinations including St. Pete Beach hotels.

PSTA staff says many riders, particularly hotel employees, could instead use Spark to connect with the SunRunner.

The Snapper Safety Harbor service has significantly lower ridership, averaging 87 riders per month. PSTA describes Safety Harbor as a lower-density area where previous fixed-route and connector services have also struggled to attract riders.

If Snapper Safety Harbor is eliminated, PSTA proposes adding Direct Connect service near Enterprise Road and McMullen Booth Road.

At last week's hearing, however, Clearwater resident and public transit accessibility advocate Gloria Lepik-Corrigan urged board members to consider what transit contributes beyond its balance sheet.

"Transit is an engine of opportunity for our communities," Lepik-Corrigan said. "It brings people to stores, doctors, jobs, restaurants and community events."

Lepik-Corrigan specifically argued against eliminating the Safety Harbor service, telling board members she had previously relied on transit to visit her mother at a nursing home there.

Four services recommended to stay

Routes 16 and 58 were also among the six services initially considered for elimination, but PSTA staff now recommends keeping both.

Route 16 averages 3,193 riders per month and connects downtown St. Pete with destinations including Gateway Mall, Northeast High School, Meadowlawn Middle School, Mirror Lake Library and the Sunshine Senior Center. PSTA says there is no alternative route that replaces the service.

Route 58 averages 2,918 riders per month and serves St. Petersburg College's Seminole campus, Seminole City Center, Osceola High School, employment centers and other destinations. PSTA similarly lists no alternative route.

Public hearing testimony

What they're saying:

Several Route 58 riders appeared at last week's hearing to explain what losing it would mean.

Mark Shaw told board members he and his wife have used the route for years to get to work, while his granddaughter uses it to reach St. Petersburg College.

"I can't afford to take an Uber to work back and forth every day," Shaw said. "I have looked at alternate routes, but none can get me to my job at 7 a.m."

PSTA Chief Planning and Community Affairs Officer Darden Rice said staff concluded Route 58 serves people with few other transportation options.

"This is an important corridor," Rice told the committee. "It connects people who have no other choices in the county."

Staff also recommends keeping Snapper Clearwater, where ridership has been growing. PSTA believes it can reduce the service's cost per rider by combining some trips with PSTA Access service.

The Grouper Airport Shuttle would remain as well, although PSTA proposes reducing dedicated bus service on some lower-demand days and increasing fares.

Riders describe transit as a necessity

Much of last week's hearing centered on something harder to quantify: what happens when someone without a car loses a transit connection.

Keith Gamble of St. Pete urged PSTA leaders to consider that human impact.

"Put some more thought into what you're doing and how it affects people's lives," Gamble said. "You're affecting people's lives."

Gabriel Ray, a Clearwater student who said he uses PSTA to get to and from school, said the board transit determines whether he can participate in activities after the school day ends.

"I cannot do clubs if I don't have the bus," Ray said. "I cannot stay after school. I can't get help from teachers."

Those concerns factored into staff's recommendation to preserve some routes.

Rice said Route 16, for example, serves schools, senior facilities and other destinations where riders would have few realistic alternatives. She also warned that eliminating a feeder route can cost the system riders elsewhere because passengers often transfer between routes.

What could cost riders more

Dig deeper:

The board will also consider several fare and fee adjustments Wednesday.

The regular $2.25 bus fare is not proposed to increase across the board.

Instead, riders who tap a credit or debit card onboard would pay an additional 11 cents, bringing a single ride paid that way to $2.36. PSTA says about 11% of fares are now collected through credit or debit card taps and the agency pays approximately $25,000 per month in processing fees.

PSTA's current published regular fare is $2.25 for a single ride.

Other proposed changes include:

• Raising the Transportation Disadvantaged monthly bus pass copay from $11 to $13.
• Raising the Grouper fare for a single rider from $8 to $10, with larger increases for group fares.
• Creating a fuel-price surcharge for ferry service when diesel exceeds $4 per gallon. The proposal calls for an additional $1 on the Clearwater Ferry and $2 on the new Tampa Bay service while that threshold is exceeded.

PSTA estimates the fare and fee changes could generate approximately $75,000 in additional revenue.

Board decision schedule

What's next:

PSTA's second public hearing begins at 9 a.m. Wednesday at its headquarters at 3201 Scherer Drive in St. Pete. The agency says the meeting will also be livestreamed.

The recommended action before the board is to approve the fare and fee adjustments, eliminate Route 90 and Snapper Safety Harbor, and keep Routes 16 and 58, Snapper Clearwater and Grouper.

For riders who spoke last week, the decision is about more than whether a particular route generates enough revenue.

As Route 58 rider Robin Shaw told board members, "It's not a business so much as it's a public service."

Pinellas CountyTransportation