Islandwide transit system approaches reality on Longboat

The town of Longboat Key is steps closer to implementing a townwide transit system for its residents, visitors and workforce. 

It's the intention of the town to enter an agreement with Sarasota County for the service, but in order for the entire town to benefit, Sarasota County must enter another agreement with Manatee County for service of its residents. 

Town Manager Howard Tipton said he has had multiple phone calls with both counties since he started his role at the end of January to discuss the potential for an agreement and what it would look like. 

“The proposal was that Sarasota (County) would operate the islandwide system and then Manatee (County) would reimburse them for some amount of the activity,” he said. 

The current predicament falls with the notion that Manatee County would be expected to reimburse Sarasota County for services provided to its residents situated on the northern end of the key. Manatee County’s transit services are free to its residents, making reimbursement an uncomfortable thought. 

“That is what they are trying to work through,” he said. “I am optimistic that they will be able to do that. It’s a big deal for folks who are working on the island especially to be able to get over here and get around once they’re on the island.”

The town is optimistic that some form of agreement will be reached and a transit system will be present on the island sooner rather than later. The hope for the system is to mirror that of an on-demand service already provided in both counties. A bus system wouldn’t fit the needs of the town or its layout. 

Sarasota County has had an OnDemand service for use of Longboat Key residents residing on its side of the county line since mid-2021. The service is specifically designed for jurisdictions like Longboat Key and operates much like other ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft, but at a much lower cost. A one-way trip with Sarasota County OnDemand is $2, but an Uber for the same distance can cost $10 or more depending on demand and distance. 

Manatee County started a similar service on the barrier island in December 2022, closing the gap of service that its residents felt from being unable to use the service provided to the other half of the island. However, the issue remains that there is not a single service to serve everyone or one that could take a resident from one side of the island to the other. 

“I think it would be a greater benefit to our workforce and to the tourists who are just looking to make short trips,” Tipton said. “It’s a great way to get (on the island) and back out.”

Starting the service would come at no cost to the town as it is already making regular contributions to both counties and, in turn, their transit systems. 

There is no set timeline for when an islandwide service would be implemented. The ball is largely in the counties’ courts to progress and reach an agreement. The town intends to continue with regular calls with representatives from each county for updates on progress.