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Lynx makes pitch for Seminole County expansion

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — In Seminole County, the number of people using public transportation is on the rise, according to Lynx officials who made their pitch to county commissioners Tuesday for more money to expand services.

Ditching the car makes sense to bus rider Glenna Davis.

"It's a lot cheaper than, you know, a car -- paying insurance, paying for a car, all that kind of thing," said Davis.

Lynx officials predict more people will use public transportation over the next 10 years. The transportation agency mapped out the major employers in Seminole County, including the new Verizon Wireless building in Lake Mary, and discovered that more routes would be needed to get people to work or to a SunRail station.

"What we're trying to do is look ahead and figure how we continue to meet that demand in the future," said Lynx CEO John Lewis.

But expanding services to meet those future needs would cost the county, on average, $16 million a year.

Right now it costs $4 million a year.

Commissioners said they aren't sure whether enough people ride the bus right now to support that kind of investment.

"We really don't have that information yet. All we have (are) basically their recommendations about what they plan to do," said Seminole County Commissioner John Horan.

Lynx buses carried 1.1 million passengers in Seminole County last year.

Commissioners said they will use that figure as they begin working on the county budget Thursday.