Sarasota County is cutting two bus routes — Route 76 (SRQ Airport to downtown hotels) and a portion of Route 77 (Siesta Key trolley to downtown) — effective April 24, saving $360,000 as part of a broader $5 million cost-cutting effort driven by a projected $37.8 million general fund deficit by 2029.

DSCA, while acknowledging the county's fiscal constraints, continues to make the case that a growing and increasingly dense downtown warrants expanded public transportation options — such as a downtown circulator or an innovative micro-transit alternative using smaller vehicles similar to an Uber-style service. DSCA is calling for a portion of the savings from these discontinued routes to be reinvested in exploring new pilot programs that could better serve downtown's evolving needs. Worth noting: the county now oversees all public transit throughout Sarasota County, including all of the City of Sarasota — most recently absorbing the BarRunner service. SRQ Airport's CEO also expressed disappointment, emphasizing the importance of transit access for travelers arriving without vehicles.