How LeeTran Connected Transit Riders to Jet Blue Stadium Steve Myers, LeeTran Transit Director
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