At the end of last week, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., announced that the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX) will receive $75.5 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation from the CARES Act.
LYNX will use the funds to cover operating expenses, maintain service levels, and provide greater flexibility for transit personnel to take leave during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will also be used by LYNX to clean its buses and bus stations in order to minimize the chance that LYNX customers and employees could be exposed to COVID-19.
“During this pandemic, many Central Floridians rely on LYNX to get to work, go to school, visit their doctor and shop at the store,” said Murphy on Friday. “I’m proud to announce this funding that will help ensure bus service in Central Florida remains safe and reliable, and I will keep fighting to secure more federal dollars to expand transportation options in our region.”
LYNX serves Orange, Seminole and Osceola Counties. It covers an area of approximately 2,500 square miles and serves a resident population of more than 1.8 million people. Before the pandemic, the system provided 79,000 rides each weekday and more than 25 million passenger trips in 2019. LYNX resumed its full service schedule on May 11 but capacity on buses is being limited in observance of social distancing guidelines. LYNX is encouraging customers to stay home and not ride LYNX if they are sick or if travel isn’t essential.
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