New fares for Sarasota's Breeze OnDemand begin July 1

Passengers 80 and older could get a free ride on any of Sarasota County’s public transit options.

In 2026.

Concerned about a lack of solid octogenarian-ridership data, Sarasota County commissioners on Tuesday approved a slate of new fares for Breeze OnDemand rides and set aside a proposal for complimentary service for people born in 1945 or earlier. For now.

At this time next year, though, county officials will have 12 months of information on how many rides 80-year-olds take on the 4-year-old service and how converting their paid rides to free service would affect revenue.   

“Go ahead and collect that data so perhaps at next year’s budget, we could have some data so that we could decide how many folks we’re talking about and what hit that might be to the budget,’’ said Commissioner Mark Smith, who earlier had proposed the free-ride notion, based on a recommendation from a Breeze advisory board. “I think another year probably wouldn’t hurt anybody.’’

Transit Director Jane Grogg told commissioners that self-reported data indicated about 4 to 6% of unique OnDemand riders classify themselves as over 80, but there was no information on the number of rides they take annually or the distance of those rides. “It just doesn’t exist,’’ she said.

Riders 80 and older already pay no fares on Breeze fixed-route bus service.

The free-ride proposal was one of three made by Breeze’s Citizens’ Advisory Committee, none of which were adopted as part of the new fare package approved unanimously. The others were to cap the maximum fare riders could pay at $5 and make rides for children 12 and under, also free. Building the new fare is on a $3 base fare for the first 3 miles, then a $1 a mile fee up to a $6 total. Companion fees are also new in the new fare system that begins July 1.

The number of annual trips provided by OnDemand service, launched mid-year in 2021, has climbed from about 81,000 in its first six months to nearly 400,000 in 2024. The cost to the county with contracted operator has also grown, now exceeding the savings envisioned when the county shut down a swath of bus service. “As a result, the cost of providing OnDemand service now exceeds the amount that was originally saved by eliminating fixed routes,’’ a county document shows. Breeze OnDemand operates in three zones of Sarasota County: Venice/Englewood, North Port and the Sarasota region, including the barrier islands. It operates much like private ride-sharing services and delivers riders door to door, though not necessarily solo or non-stop.

At a previous meeting, Grogg showed commissioners a projection of new revenue with the base plus first-mile fare, moving from about $635,000 to around $1.82 million.

Following Grogg's presentation to the commissioners, Smith proposed the 80-and-older fare elimination be formally included as both an economic accommodation and one also focused on traffic safety.

“I’m not trying to be rude or anything, but sometimes I feel like we should pay them not to drive,’’ he said of 80-and-older residents. “So I think having them ride for free would be a good idea, but I’m not sure what that would do to the budget.’’

More than 100 public comments, split about evenly, were part of the fare proposal’s presentation to the commissioners. Many said they considered the service valuable and worth a higher price, while others balked at paying more.

“Do you big shots care?’’ read one of the comments. “Do you care what the little people have to say? No, really. Do you? I am serious here. If you do then you will vote no with us little people.’’