FlexBus falling into place in Maitland

From engineering to funding, everything is forecasted to stay on track for Maitland to open seven FlexBus stations by the end of the year, says Maitland Community Development Director Dick Wells.

With financing from the four partner cities in place for the demonstration period of the on-demand transportation system, and inputs of wheres and whens being tested, the 10-year-in-planning system is slowly on the rails toward becoming a reality.

“I feel confident that we’ll be able to roll out the system and that people will be able to start experimenting with and using the system as we get closer to the end of the year,” Wells said.

The goal for the system, viewed as an integral key to success for SunRail, is planned to start serving Maitland, Altamonte Springs, Longwood and Casselberry three to six months prior to SunRail’s start, which is scheduled for May 2014. Each of the involved cities has agreed to fund the system’s one-year demo run at $30,000 per station.

Cities such as Lake Mary and Eatonville, Wells said, have already shown interest in possibly joining the program after that time, and the city of Winter Park has a meeting to discuss its potential role in FlexBus’ future on Thursday.

Wells said more interest means more good things for the fledgling transportation system, especially as involved cities continue to seek outside grants and funding from the Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration to cover costs.

“I think the funding becomes more and more secure as more partners get interested,” he said.

As far as making the system of leased 14-passenger buses work, he said, the details are still being sorted through. Specifics as to the hours the buses will run, and how frequently they’ll be available, he said, are still being evaluated.

“There’s a lot of technical planning that has to go into this to make this system work,” he said. “… We’re trying to optimize it so we offer the best service that we can afford to our citizens.”

Federal lobbyist contract and agenda set

For more information about FlexBus, including a map of service locations and on-going updates, visit rideflexbus.com

A key player in overseeing the realization of SunRail, Maitland’s federal lobbyist Louis Rotundo had his contract renewed to represent the city for another three and a half years following an unanimous decision by the Maitland City Council on Monday.

City staffers sung Rotundo’s praises after Councilwoman Bev Reponen requested those who work the most with him to validate his service being worth the incremental yearly raises worked into his contract.

“Otherwise it tends to look like we’re cherry picking who we’re giving an increase to,” she said.

Starting at $49,500 for 2013, the contract outlines Rotundo’s salary for his lobbying and consulting services to the city be raised to $54,500 by 2015.

With the start of Florida’s legislative session less than a week away, beginning March 5, with Rotundo’s contract renewal, the City Council sent him off with a list of lobbying priorities for the fiscal 2014 session.

Continuing to seek funding for legislation enforcing railway Quiet Zones topped the list approved by Council. Seeking funding for Maitland Parkway Loop redevelopment, wastewater facilities expansion and improvements, and an extension of Independence Lane also topped the list.