Breeze OnDemand reports to riders it's back to capacity

 An e-mail from Sarasota’s County’s Breeze OnDemand told clients Wednesday afternoon that the ride service is operating normally again, less than three days after a safety recall sidelined some of its minivans.

The message, sent from Team Breeze OnDemand to its clients, opened with “we are excited to share with you that we have returned to full service capability.’’

Twenty-nine of Breeze's Chrysler Voyager and Pacifica minivans from the years 2022-2025 were recalled this month over concerns related to the inflation pressure of side-impact airbags. Breeze OnDemand on Monday alerted riders that delays were possible as a result of those vehicles being removed from service.

Then Via, the contractor that helps operate the system that runs in three zones in Sarasota County, said replacement vehicles would be on the road by Tuesday morning.

“You might notice that some of these new vehicles look a little different from our usual vans,’’ Wednesday’s email said. “They're temporary additions to get us back to full capacity quickly and safely. To ensure you hop into the right ride, always match the license plate number in your app with the vehicle that arrives.’’

Breeze OnDemand operates similarly to commercial ride-sharing services. Beginning July 1, it revamped its fare structure to cope with rising costs. 

The number of annual trips provided by OnDemand service, launched mid-year in 2021, has climbed from about 81,000 in its first six months to nearly 400,000 in 2024.