Talk of The Villages Florida - "Public" (Villages-specific) transit?

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Well, there’s the new driverless taxis starting up around here. Saw one yesterday. Buses would need schedules...and if run like public transport, might not work as well as one might imagine. With so many using golf carts, not sure how much a bus system would be utilized.

What happened to meter less anywhere in The Villages Taxi service for $5.00? Or was that just my imagination, after I purchased my house...

When we were in New England last fall, we took a “hop on hop off” bus. Offhand I don’t know how many buses are in their fleet, but we would hop off, do the tourist bit in that area, then wait at the stop for the next one to come along. Can’t remember exactly, but it seems like we didn’t have to wait more than 15 minutes for the next bus to come along. If we timed it right, we would get back to the stop and only wait a few minutes. The buses were on a specific loop, and I really enjoyed it. Paid one price, got a wrist band, and it was good all day.

That would seem feasible, wouldn’t it?

If there was any profit to be made on this idea even though it sounds really great it would be happening already. I haven't met one person who would wait for anything since I moved here. So the bus stops would be empty. I for one wouldn't want to be waiting at a bus stop at my age when it 250 degrees out or raining.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bjeanj (Post 1616671)

Well think for a minute. A bus along every fifteen minutes. And the loop is about thirty miles, and each transit bus costs from 300k to 800k. School buses cost under 100K and Vans are cheaper...But.... Then you must pay the drivers and provide health insurance and benefits. And bus/car insurance, and maintenance, etc. etc. Who is going to pay for that? Not cheap. Every time we implement a good idea it costs money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazuela (Post 1616573)

You know on our Lifestyle visit, not once did anyone suggest that we take that trolley tour of the Villages. I forgot all about it til our last day and at that point it was already too late to ask. I would've loved the tour, if they were still being offered.

I agree you'd still need to get to the pickup/dropoff points, but my thinking is this:

It's the MAIN roads that have the worst congestion, and the areas around the roundabouts, and the entries/exits into the town squares and non-Villages shopping areas.

The traffic is the focus. To reduce traffic in the highest-congested areas.

Having to drive/golf-cart to the local pickup/dropoff point would reduce traffic. It wouldn't eliminate it, but it would certainly reduce it. There would be fewer drivers from the "other" areas driving to "your" area, and you would be driving less often outside "your" area to "other" areas.

With "your" being the local pickup/dropoff point, such as a regional rec center or town square. That would also mean fewer parking spaces taken in the town squares, because if I see something I want to do on the other end of the Villages, my only option right now is to drive there and take up a parking space. The option to take a trolley/shuttle doesn't currently exist.

I like having options.

You speak to folks driving their golf carts to certain pick up points. We once had 2 golf carts because our theory was, when we 1st moved here was to drive them and save the miles on our auto. We eventually sold one because one (mine) wasn't getting driven because I'd rather use the auto due to weather....rain, heat of the summer etc. I know of churches that are golf-cart accessible, yet people still tend to use their autos (mostly) than their carts. Your thoughts (again) sound good on paper BUT in actually living here one adapts and does what they're most comfortable doing. The cost of adding the trolleys or buses may be much more than is affordable. We inhabit 3 counties here and I'm sure there are certain restrictions in each that the others don't have. I think our community is wonderful and offers so much that is more positive than not. It's not for everyone but I'd rather find the positives here rather than the negatives. But that's just me.

I vote for a monorail!

Quote:

Originally Posted by zmarkp (Post 1616720)

I vote for a monorail!

Yep and Helicopter pad service. Or maybe underground. I thought this was golf cart interconnected community? :shocked: