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Lynx buses. Love them or hate them, they are currently the only real source of public transportation available in Orlando. With more than 290 buses, the brightly painted people-movers can be seen all over town, shuttling residents of Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties along 65 different routes throughout 2,500 square miles of service area in Central Florida. But, one of the things that makes Lynx so unique, and controversial, is the fact that the system does not have a source of dedicated funding to service its average 84,061 weekday users – and a foreseeable outcome doesn’t seem likely in the near future.

Recently a proposed penny-a-gallon gas tax hike by Commissioner Linda Stewart was denied by voters. If voters had approved, the motion would have created an additional $6 million a year for the public transportation provider. Even with that denial, Orange County leaders have agreed to boost its $37.8 million allocation to Lynx by $2 million contingent on businesses adding $1 million and the bus provider raising its fares. The new amount is the highest contributed by any of the three counties serviced by Lynx. The county, however, faces its own budget shortfalls and may be forced to cut its estimated allocation according to recent reports.

On the federal level, Lynx was recently awarded close to $30 million in stimulus money from the government creating hundreds of potential jobs for Central Floridians. The amount is roughly $7 million more than originally requested by Lynx. The stimulus funding package is budgeted toward capital improvement projects for the company such as building 120 shelters, upgrading a brake inspection system, investing in smart bus technology and purchasing more energy efficient buses, among other things.

So what’s next for Lynx? As the approval process and exact budgeting expenditures are finalized, the company moves toward a more streamlined, clear operating budget for the next year. Around them, the debate rages on for funding sources while the wheels on the bus continue to go round and round in search of an answer.

Article by Corey Gehrold