SANFORD, Fla.,None — The mayors of Sanford and Deltona are floating an idea: Create a water-taxi service to shuttle people back and forth across Lake Monroe between the two cities.
But WFTV reporter Tim Barber checked to see if people would actually use the service.
Sanford resident Terri Pratsch, whose family enjoys boating on Lake Monroe, says the concept is likely to be popular.
"I think it's a great idea,'' she said. "A lot of people probably don't realize what's out here and a lot of people probably don't realize what's in Deltona."
Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett and Deltona Mayor John C. Masiarczyk Sr. would agree. But for now a water-taxi service is just an idea. They don't know what kind of boat it would require, if the cities would pay for it or if they would give incentives to a company to start the service. Neither mayor was available for an interview.
Pratsch's husband, Bill, says he hopes it stays an idea because he doesn't think anyone would use a water taxi with Interstate 4 connecting both cities.
"Straight across the river? No. That's stupid," Bill Pratsch said.
WFTV's Tim Barber tested the idea, taking a boat ride from Monroe Harbour Marina in Sanford across the lake to a boat ramp in Deltona where the city is thinking of picking up passengers who would take the taxi. Barber then drove between Sanford and Deltona by car.
The trip took five minutes by boat, but then required another mile of travel to downtown Deltona. By car, it took 17 minutes to drive from downtown Sanford to the heart of Deltona.
Terri Pratsch still thinks that the novelty of a boat ride would draw more people to both communities.
"Well, why not … They could utilize the businesses out here," she said.
WFTV
