Transit Development Plan

Plan de Desarrollo de Transito y Actualización

The Transit Development Plan, or TDP, is a 10-year needs-based evaluation required by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to qualify for state Public Transit Block Grant Program (PTBG) funding. Development of the plan requires technical analyses as well as a broad public outreach process. It represents MCAT’s vision for public transportation growth and advancement in the future. The development of the TDP includes a review of planning and policy documents and documentation of study area conditions, demographic characteristics and current transit services as well as the creation of a financial plan and incorporation of public input.

The purpose of the Transit Development Plan is to provide a transit agency, like MCAT, with a plan for service operations and capital facilities in the next ten-year period.

Why is TDP important?

The TDP provides direction for transit improvements in Manatee County and reflects priorities for public transportation identified by the community. In addition, The State of Florida Public Transit Block Grant (PTBG) Program was enacted by the Florida Legislature to provide a stable source of funding for public transit and, as a recipient of PTBG funding, Manatee County is required to prepare a major TDP update every five years, with annual minor updates and monitoring in the interim years.

What are MCAT's current priorities?

This chart shows MCAT’s Service Implementation Plan from the 2020 TDP Progress Report.

Service Implementation Plan
MCAT TDP 10-Year Plan 2020
Service Type/Mode Description Implementation Year Year of Cessation Annual Hours Annual Operating Cost
$13,391,154
Maintain Existing Service - Fixed Route Maintain Existing Fixed Route Service 2019 2030 100,953 $7,652,745
Maintain Existing Service - Paratransit Maintain Existing ADA Paratransit Service 2019 2030 56,331 $2,680,409
Add Peak Hour Service to St. Petersburg (Route 203/Skyway Con Increase Hours of Service 2022 2030 2,080 $153,000
Double Peak Hour Frequency on Route 6 Increase Frequency 2023 2030 3,744 $630,000
Double Peak Hour Frequency on Route 99 Increase Frequency 2022 2030 9,360 $945,000
Route 99/US 41 Single Agency Operation Expand Service 2022 2030 0 $700,000
Double Frequency on Route 99 (to match peak) Increase Frequency 2031 2030 0 $0
Enhance Frequency on Key Connector Routes (2 and 8) Increase Frequency 2024 2030 8,424 $630,000
Extend Weekday Service on All Routes Until 10 PM Expand Service 2031 2030 15,210 $1,115,729
Implement Sunday Service on Select Routes (1, 6, and 99) Expand Service 2028 2030 3,710 $272,000
Implement Beach ConneXion Shuttle Add New Service 2020 2030 588 $43,000
Enhance Handy Bus LOS ADA Service for New/Expanded Service 2020 2030 n/a $181,000
Enhance Handy Bus LOS ADA Service for New/Expanded Service 2024 2030 n/a $188,000
 
Add New Transit Service $378,197
Palmetto Microtransit Add New Service 2031 2030 2,080 $90,374
Ellenton Microtransit Add New Service 2031 2030 2,080 $90,374
Colleges/Universities Microtransit Add New Service 2022 2030 2,080 $89,000
Lakewood Ranch Microtransit Add New Service 2031 2030 2,496 $108,449
ADA Paratransit $0
ADA Service for New Local Routes ADA Service for New/Expanded Service 2019 2030 0 $0

2020 TDP Service Implementation Plan

Contact us

For more information, contact Jonathan Roberson, MCAT’s Planning Manager, at [email protected] or (941) 747-8621 x7622.

Documents and links

2018 TDP Board Presentation

Manatee Connect TDP Final Report

MCAT 2021 Transit Development Plan Progress Report