New plan for FlexBus

As the four partner cities prepare to flesh out final privatized plans for FlexBus, they’re working to forgo one big-name supporter for another: out with LYNX, in with UCF.

With less than six months left until FlexBus’ originally planned start date, officials from Maitland, Altamonte Springs, Longwood and Casselberry are looking to pick up the running of the intelligent transit system where LYNX left off when the transportation authority pulled out of the project in March. But as LYNX tries to hold on to control of the technology, Maitland Community Development Director Dick Wells said, UCF is offering its own interest in helping develop it.

“[UCF] adds quite a bit of panache to what we’re doing. Their interest gives us a little more weight in the politics of Central Florida,” Wells said.

The partner cities will meet this week with LYNX to renegotiate the FlexBus request for proposal, hoping to remove all mentions of LYNX rights and ownership to the technology the city’s system may produce in its demonstration study.