- February 28, 2025
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Manatee County Area Transit, or MCAT, will launch a bus service to St. Petersburg and Pinellas County starting April 1.
The new route, called Skyway ConneXion, will begin at DeSoto station and make three stops in Pinellas County before terminating at Bay Pines VA Hospital. It includes stops adjacent to major transfer stops for Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority passengers.
The fare to go over the Skyway Bridge is $5 for one-way or $10 for round trip. Riders can also purchase a $3 fare for express service within either county, but the fare becomes $5 if they cross the Skyway. The $5 ConneXion fare is the same fare veterans currently pay for rides to Bay Pines.
MCAT Manager Bill Steele said the idea for the route began last year when MCAT began using a full-size MCAT bus, rather than a smaller paratransit vehicle, to transport veterans to Bay Pines.
The ConneXion route will operate at no additional expense because paratransit VA service already was part of MCAT’s operating budget.
“Veterans will be able to continue to receive medical transportation to the VA and we’ll be filling a void in regional connectivity that will benefit the general public,” Steele said. “We’re using existing resources, so there are no additional costs. It’s really a win-win-win proposition.
For more information on Manatee County Area Transit, visit mymanatee.org/mcat or follow it on Facebook at facebook.com/ridemcat.