Businesses chip in $250,000 to start Saturday SunRail service

ORLANDO, Fla. — In hopes of expanding service, its customer base and capitalizing on weekend events in and around Orlando, SunRail will start operating trains on Saturdays, officials announced Thursday.

The new service is part of a pilot program that will test Saturday service Oct. 8 through Feb. 11.

“I think we all would like to think that the pilot project is going to turn into a long-term arrangement,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said.

A group of nonprofit organizations collected the $250,000 that it will cost to run the Saturday trains from local businesses.

Train schedules will be adjusted to account for the timing of big events, Dyer said.

“For each Saturday, we can see what events are happening in downtown, or in Winter Park, or in DeBary, and time the trains based on that,” he said.

The goal is to capitalize on big weekend events, such as the Garth Brooks concert at the Amway Center on Oct. 8, as well as Orlando Pride downtown.

There are also walks set for each Saturday for the rest of October at Lake Eola Park.

The hours will be flexible depending on the event. Dyer said SunRail will hold the last train if a Magic game runs late.

Numbers show each Saturday will cost SunRail up to $20,000.

One of the big sources of the donations is Orlando Health.

“As a resident of downtown Orlando and somebody who’s a sponsor of this, we’re very excited about the opportunity,” said Orlando Health spokesperson Andy Gardiner.

SunRail officials did not say what will happen after the donated funds run out in February.

Cox Media Group