Lynx (Orlando)

Lynx
Lynx bus on the Route 102 line in Orlando
Parent Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority
Founded May 1972 (1972-05)
Headquarters 455 N Garland Avenue, Orlando, FL
Locale Greater Orlando, USA
Service area Orange County, Seminole County, Osceola County, Lake County, Volusia County, Polk County
Service type
  • Local
  • Limited-stop
  • Express
Routes 88[1]
Stops 4,441 [2]
Fleet 310[1]
Daily ridership 83,000[1]
Annual ridership 26 million (2017)[3][4]
Fuel type Diesel, Biodiesel, CNG
Operator Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority[5]
Chief executive Edward L. Johnson (2016)
Website www.golynx.com

Lynx (stylized as LYNX) is a bus system run by the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, serving the greater Orlando, Florida area in Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties with limited service to Polk County. Bus routes are referred to as Links. The standard adult one-way fare is $2 with free single transfers valid for 90 minutes (not valid on the same Link or for round trips). Lynx runs the zero-fare Lymmo Bus in Downtown Orlando, connecting many downtown destinations to parking and the Lynx Central Station by controlling traffic signals on a three-mile route along a fully separate right-of-way or a combination of separate right-of-way and mixed traffic. All Lynx buses, except the Lymmo, have bike racks (2 - 3 bike capacity) for use at no extra charge.

Other Lynx services include a commuter assistance Vanpool program; Access Lynx paratransit service; NeighborLink (formerly PickUpLine) community circulators; KnightLynx, a transportation option on and near the UCF campus that operates on Friday and Saturday nights only; and the Road Rangers roadside assistance program on Interstate 4 between Kissimmee and Daytona Beach, sponsored by State Farm.

Bus stop signs were designed with a lynx paw in place of the traditional bus stop signs, which show a bus; although newer signs have been placed, adding the paw to the traditional sign. Also, the route numbers are usually attached to the bus stop signs.

The budget for fiscal year 2013 that began on October 1, 2012 and ended September 30, 2013 was $115,518,832. The FY2014 budget that began October 1, 2013 is $127,867,296.

History

Bus stop on North Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida
Bus stop on South Orange Avenue in Downtown Orlando, Florida

The Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority was formed in May 1972 under the name Orange-Seminole-Osceola Transportation Authority (OSOTA). The bus service was originally named Tri-County Transit, or TCT for short. The authority changed its name in 1994 via a public naming contest and started doing business as Lynx.

The agency opened Lynx Central Station or LCS in November 2004 and a new operations center called Lynx Operations Center or LOC in 2007.

Lynx also opened through a partnership with the city of Kissimmee the Osceola Satellite Facility or OSF to operate their Kissimmee routes Link 10, 18, 26, 55, 56, 57, 108, 306, 416, 426 and 427. The only Kissimmee route that does not operate from OSF is FastLink 441 which is fully run out of LOC.

Routes

Lynx operates a total of 88 bus routes in the Orlando area, serving Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties with limited service to Polk County. Lynx routes include Link local bus routes, KnightLynx service to the University of Central Florida campus, Disney Direct commuter service to Walt Disney World Resort, FastLink limited stop bus routes, the Lymmo zero-fare service in Downtown Orlando, and NeighborLink community circulator buses providing curb-to-curb service through advance reservations.[6]

Fares

The base fare for Lynx buses is $2.00 for a single ride, which must be paid in exact change. A single transfer to another route is available for free. An All-Day Pass costs $4.50 and must be purchased onboard the bus. Lynx offers a 7-Day Pass for $16.00 and a 30-Day pass for $50.00; these passes may be purchased at the Lynx Central Station, online, and at various retailers in the Orlando area.[6]

A Lynx Discount Fare ID allows for discounted fares for children ages 7 to 18, high school students, senior citizens over age 65, and persons with disabilities. The discount fare costs $1.00 for a single ride, $2.25 for an All-Day Pass, $8.00 for a 7-Day Pass, and $25.00 for a 30-Day Pass.[6]

The fare for Links 416 and 427 in Polk County costs $1.50 for a single ride, $1.25 for students, and $0.75 for senior citizens and disabled persons.[6]

See also

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 3 LYNX Fast Facts
  2. ↑ "Bus Shelter Program - Public Transportation Services for Orange, Seminole and Osceola Counties". Web.archive.org. 2012-08-20. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  3. ↑ >2012 Annual report Lynx Archived 2013-08-16 at Archive.is
  4. ↑ 2012 Annual report Lynx Archived 2013-08-16 at Archive.is
  5. ↑ LYNX About Us
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Lynx Schedule Book" (PDF). Lynx. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
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