are great partners for public transportation.” The Florida Department of Transportation has actively sought to bridge knowledge gaps between transit and planners. “FDOT started a program two years ago called the Transit Immersion Leadership Experience (TILE) Program where transit and FDOT professionals work together” explains Stephenson. “Transit professionals learn what happens on the FDOT side of things; and FDOT employees learn what happens on the transit side.” Local planning relationships prove equally vital.“We work very very closely with the Metropolitan Planning Organization staff for all of our transportation planning so that we know the big picture of what our community needs from us,” Deigl explains. MEETING GROWING COMMUNITY NEEDS Trust built over years has allowed GoLine to secure additional funding for expanded services. This trust recently translated into tangible service improvements after community feedback indicated the demand for longer operating hours. “After we completed our Transportation Development Plan, it was identified that the community wanted longer service hours. We had been ending our hours at seven o’clock on weekdays. The public wanted it extended,” Deigl explains. “So, we were funded for expanding hours on weekdays, as well as Saturdays.” Securing this expansion required a funding partnership. “That had to be funded from an FDOT Service Development Grant, but also matched with local dollars, which our BOCC agreed to provide,” says Deigl. The investment quickly paid dividends: “Ridership has increased overnight by 20%. We will hit 1.45 million annual trips this year for the first time ever.” A staggering number in a county of only approximately 166,000 individuals. This responsiveness to community needs forms a central part of GoLine’s operational philosophy. “We pride ourselves in providing the best service possible,” Deigl emphasizes. The organization continuously monitors ridership patterns, seeking ways to enhance service frequency, expand coverage areas, and improve the overall rider experience. 133 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 03 SENIOR RESOURCE ASSOCIATION’S GOLINE TRANSIT
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