SCAT creates 16 full-time positions

Sarasota County commissioners approved nine new Sarasota County Area Transit hires and converted 17 part-time employees to seven full time Jan. 29, at their regularly scheduled meeting. Commissioners also approved five wrapped buses to be used as trolleys for barrier island routes.

Shortly before approving the addition of at least $339,000 in annual spending, commissioners criticized the $15,000 and $25,000 cost and the one and a half year timeframe to install bus shelters.

“That’s nuts,” said Sarasota County Commissioner Nora Patterson during the meeting.

SCAT officials recently hired from other municipalities offered to analyze their former employers’ best practices to determine more efficient ways to maintain bus shelters.

SCAT Director Glama Carter highlighted diminishing ridership with increasing operation costs as a troubling budget issue, but noted the percentage of operation costs covered by ridership has grown from 10% to 14% between the 2011 and 2012 fiscal years.