[Sidney Lanier]

Unfortunate but true: It would be financially impossible to maintain public transit that has only minimal usage. This is a reflection of our passion for 'our wheels.' This is why Amtrak has gone down the tubes. This is why only now with gas prices suddenly so much higher than they had been that people are first considering using mass transit systems!

However, the flip side, as has been pointed out by other posters, is that TV is that kind of friendly and supportive environment. We have friends who moved here specifically for that reason--to be a part of a community rather than live in a beautiful housing unit in a beautiful environment where no one knows anyone else....

Access-a-Ride in New York City (mentioned earlier) and The Ride in Boston (that we use when there for medical care) are great programs, but these are major cities where there is enough of a cross section that the programs are utilized regularly. Here, among cars, golf carts, good-hearted friends and neighbors, and a taxi when needed (yes, before 8 p.m.) are what keep us going.

[carlent]

since I stared the topic, i will say one more thing if i could.
It is a shame that so many of you are so short-sighted that you can not see that at some point maybe sooner than later, you will need public transportation. At some point you might not be able to get from here to their in your cart. At that point, you will all be crying for a little van to pick you up and take you to the Doctor and to the grocery. but now, when you are content to buzz around in the car and cart, you have not the vision to understand that this is a major concern to a lot of people in TV. You just don't see these folks on this forum. It does not mean they are not out there in numbers.
Come on people......put your thinking caps on.....

respectfully

Carlent

[Shirleevee]

Carlent,

Public Transportation



The Public Transportation Division of the Lake County Department of Community Services provides paratransit and fixed-route services to local citizens and visitors through a contracted service provider.

Fixed-route Service


Lake County began the fixed-route service, LakeXpress, on May 21, 2007. The bus service runs every hour from The Villages to Eustis with circulator routes in the cities of Leesburg and Mount Dora (beginning in 2008).

Primarily, LakeXpress provides public transportation along the U.S. Highway 441 corridor, including the municipalities of Eustis, Fruitland Park, Lady Lake, Leesburg, Mount Dora and Tavares. In years to come, the service will be expanded to other urban areas of the County.
LakeXpress operates Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. Buses do not run on Saturdays, Sundays and the holidays of New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

For more information about the LakeXpress, call (352) 326-8637 or log on to www.ridelakexpress.com. A route and schedule brochure is available on the Web or at public libraries and various local government offices.

Paratransit service

A state-funded program, the paratransit service, Lake County Connection, provides low-cost transportation throughout Lake County to individuals who qualify as “transportation disadvantaged” as defined by state statutes.

Lake County Connection is primarily intended for mobility-impaired, mentally-impaired and senior citizens. The service is provided for individuals who do not have access to any other means of transportation, including public bus service. Lake County Connection provides more than 750 scheduled passenger trips per day, using a variety of vehicles specially equipped to transport individuals with various disabilities.

For more information about Lake County Connection, call (352) 742-6580 or visit the Lake County Connection page. To contact the Customer Call Center, call (352) 326-2278 [Florida Relay voice: (800) 955-5770; TTY: (800) 955-8771]. Reservations can be made Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Additional Services

LYNX — Lake County contracts with LYNX to provide a Clermont Express (Link 204) to downtown Orlando and a bus route (Link 55) in the Four Corners community that extends along U.S. Highway 192. For more information, call 407-841-LYNX or log on to www.golynx.com.



Shirleevee

[barb1191]

Well my dear Shirleevee, you most certainly have put together an excellent research project to share. It also shows that we are well taken care of for public transportation. All it takes is some effort, with this great technology, to pull up this information that is at our fingertips.

Kudos to you for a great informative post. :#1:

barb

[Russ_Boston]

A+ Shirl!

[Shirleevee]

Thank you Barb.........

[Shirleevee]

....and Russ


Here is a great site for us young seniors to peruse

www.disability.gov

Lots of info and links.

Shirleevee

[tucson]

Originally Posted by carlent

since I stared the topic, i will say one more thing if i could.
It is a shame that so many of you are so short-sighted that you can not see that at some point maybe sooner than later, you will need public transportation. At some point you might not be able to get from here to their in your cart. At that point, you will all be crying for a little van to pick you up and take you to the Doctor and to the grocery. but now, when you are content to buzz around in the car and cart, you have not the vision to understand that this is a major concern to a lot of people in TV. You just don't see these folks on this forum. It does not mean they are not out there in numbers.
Come on people......put your thinking caps on.....
carlent,I agree wholeheartedly! From a 1st hand personal experience that I've had here. I have to park my rv at the lot behind the woodworking shop which is about 6-7 mi. from my house. When I need to use it(It's my only transportation besides my golf cart) I have to drive there in the golf cart to do any errands outside TV. I called once TV Taxi to ask how much to drive me there, he told me around 20.00 !!!!!
respectfully

Carlent

[SteveZ]

Originally Posted by tucson

TV should use some of their buses and chg. 50cents per ride and have volunteers do the driving.

The liability issues for such a venture are immense, both for TV and any volunteer driver(s).

Originally Posted by carlent

since I stared the topic, i will say one more thing if i could.
It is a shame that so many of you are so short-sighted that you can not see that at some point maybe sooner than later, you will need public transportation. At some point you might not be able to get from here to their in your cart. At that point, you will all be crying for a little van to pick you up and take you to the Doctor and to the grocery. but now, when you are content to buzz around in the car and cart, you have not the vision to understand that this is a major concern to a lot of people in TV. You just don't see these folks on this forum. It does not mean they are not out there in numbers.
Come on people......put your thinking caps on.....

It's not a matter of being short-sighted, but probably more a matter of affordability. Your idea is one of many good ones, provided the funding is there to make it happen.

My other "home" is just outside DC, in a MD county with every possible social service you can envision, and a tax bill (annually increasing 5-15%) to match. It's a monument to the concept that government is parent to all, and must pay for all the needs of its children. Unfortunately, there seems to be fewer and fewer of us who realize that government is all of us, not some creature residing in a municipal building, and government's ability to pay is really what we, individually and collectively, can afford.

So, the first goal would seem to be to find a private means for fulfilling your idea - whether by a TV-endorsed volunteer group, faith-based service, or other non-subsidzed approach. The only other way is to dip into everyone's pockets and establish a public entity with the job. There just is no free lunch!

[Shirleevee]

The Villages, Florida

The following STATE FUNDED PROGRAM......includes SENIORS!!!!!!


Paratransit service

A state-funded program, the paratransit service, Lake County Connection, provides low-cost transportation throughout Lake County to individuals who qualify as “transportation disadvantaged” as defined by state statutes.

Lake County Connection is primarily intended for mobility-impaired, mentally-impaired and senior citizens. The service is provided for individuals who do not have access to any other means of transportation, including public bus service. Lake County Connection provides more than 750 scheduled passenger trips per day, using a variety of vehicles specially equipped to transport individuals with various disabilities.

For more information about Lake County Connection, call (352) 742-6580 or visit the Lake County Connection page. To contact the Customer Call Center, call (352) 326-2278 [Florida Relay voice: (800) 955-5770; TTY: (800) 955-8771]. Reservations can be made Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

[diskman]

As I recall from when my parents retired to southern FL, every community seems to have a resident with a mini van or large car that picks up some $ by being the airport guy or the get around guy. Hard to imagine there are not some among the villages as well!

[carlent]

Shirl....
Terrific job and thank you for your great research. this will help a lot of folks. It nneds to be in the Village newspaper not just here on this site.


Carlent

[kit9240]

I called the Lake County Express and they only provide transportation in Lake County, not Sumter or Marion. Sumter County has free shuttle service and door to door service. You have to make a reservation for door to door service a day in advance before 1pm and the charge is $1.50. Their number is 352-568-6683. They do not service Lake or Marion Counties. Here is their website:

http://sumtercountyfl.gov/cs/transit/index.htm

I'm glad to see that there is public transportation available. I think TV should provide this information to all residents. I know that everyone in TV is very friendly and willing to help their neighbors, but I would prefer to be able to get myself to the doctor's.

I had foot surgery last year and wasn't able to drive. I called Milford Transit and they picked me up at my home and took me to my doctor's and back home for $4.00. It was great! I didn't have to ask my son to take time off from work!

Kathy

[rosebudandbuddy]

Hi: I asked one of the Shuttle drivers for information on the Shuttle Service as I had a need to get to a Dentist appointment outside of the villages. He gave me a phone number to call which I will do Monday. 352-568-6683. I do not have a car but am thinking of getting one. Since the Villages is getting so big, my Gem street legal cart is not enough anymore.

[DonH57]

I've never heard of all local taxi services closing at 8 pm.