University of Florida students rallied Tuesday afternoon to demand better bus service, as Mayor Harvey Ward pushed for a $3 million city boost to the University of Florida’s RTS funding.
The city’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Regional Transit System (RTS) budget totals $26.7 million. UF’s contract, however, reflects a $2.9 million— or 23%— reduction from earlier this year, resulting in the loss of 12 bus routes that served students on and around campus.
“I would love to get $3 million back on the table so we can provide better transportation for students,” Ward said.
Ward said UF should rejoin funding talks to help restore service. “I would love to get the University of Florida back on the table to at least replace funding that was removed so we can get back to a more robust regional transit system,” he said.
In response, UF’s Director of Communications, Amy Armstrong, said the university remains a “primary contributor” to RTS at just over $10 million, despite the reduction. Armstrong said UF’s funding has remained flat since 2015 while operating costs have risen, which prompted the university to conduct a comprehensive review of its transit structure.
That review led to a consolidation of off-campus routes from 17 to 11, she said, while adding buses to routes 1, 13,17, 20, and 37 to increase frequency and capacity. Two on-campus RTS routes were replaced with the UF Campus Connector, which Armstrong said offers longer operating hours and greater flexibility.
Armstrong said UF is committed to equitable access, arguing the changes strengthen overall service by improving frequency, extending evening hours and adding weekend options. As for future funding, Armstrong said UF continued to be “an active partner with RTS”, adding that adjustments are part of an ongoing effort to modernize routes.
“The RTS system has seen minimal changes for more than 20 years, so some adjustments are natural as we modernize and align routes with today’s needs,” Armstrong said.
While the larger RTS budget raised concerns, the age-based fare free transit program for seniors and minors—jointly funded by the city of Gainesville and Alachua County—was initially scheduled to have $190,000 in funding agreed upon. However, the budget plan was passed on the consent agenda without being discussed at last week’s city commission meeting. Last year, each government contributed $115,000 to the program.
Ward defended the initiative as a sign of the city’s ongoing commitment to public mobility. “Nothing is free, of course, but this pays the cost of seniors and young people,” he said.
For many residents, buses are more than just transportation—they provide a lifeline to jobs, schools, healthcare and essential services. But for UF students in particular, the cuts mean longer waits and fewer options to get to class.
“I want everyone to use RTS as much as possible,” Ward said. “And we want to make it as frictionless as possible.”
The city and county are expected to finalize their transit budgets and adopt the Final Financial and Operating Plan for Fiscal Year 2026 at the Sept. 18 commission meeting.