I, too, have used this service quite a few times. And, like the complainant, I have experienced long delays, but not on pick up, but shuttling from Sanford to Orlando, then on to The Villages. Twice, form Orlando to The Village inwhich we left within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure, but to took 3 1/2 hours to drop me at my home near Lake Sumter Landing in Sunset Pointe because we were 1) full, 2) and we hubbed at a motel, to wait for another van to arrive to transfer some passengers. If you are unlucky enough to be cued for drop-off at the tail-end of the journey, it can be miserable, especially if you traveling in the evening.
What's the alternative, if you want home pickup and drop-off? Apparently, shuttle service operations are expensive, and the van company is struggling to make a profit, although prices have escalated, especially to Sanford. Another service which featured roomy, newer vans, on-time service and courteous drivers, went out of business last year without notice.
There have been low-level rumors that Leesburg airport may someday be expanded due to the growth of The Villages, to handle larger aircraft, including some direct flights to major destinations. I'm sure the airlines have been approached, but even those operating fuel-efficient Boeing 737 aircraft long ago abandoned small cities because commuter traffic wasn't steady-enough to turn a profit. If passenger traffic from and to The Villages and surrounding area could be accurately measured, airlines might find it feasible to offer service from Leesburg, but with two major international airports only a little more than 60-90 minutes away, it would be a tough sell.
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