SunRail on fast track to be under local government control

The latest numbers from the SunRail commission show roughly 3,500 trips a day on the train in February.

Despite the low ridership, Mayor Buddy Dyer said he's not concerned, even though the city, Orange, Seminole and Volusia counties are set to take over the operations in 2021.

But now there are talks to fast track that takeover, from an operations standpoint, by two years.

“It may be a smart move for us to take it over in year five, so that we have that operating subsidy for couple of years while we operate it,” said Dyer.

After that, cities and counties will have to find funding on their own.

Dyer said he's looking at the gas tax and impact fees, which also fund sidewalk construction.

Seminole County said it has been putting money away for the last year in anticipation of taking the service over.

“We've heard this at meetings before, but that is something we would have to work out with them,” said Steve Olson of the Florida Department of Transportation.

But getting new riders on to the platform when it's not a special weekend service has been a challenge.

SunRail officials hope an app that would eventually allow riders to pay by phone instead of paying on the platform, will get more riders on board.

SunRail plans to test the mobile application next month.

Cox Media Group