Okaloosa taking steps to enhance public transportation system, seeking public input

OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. – The Emerald Coast (EC) Rider Transit System in Okaloosa County is undergoing improvements through a Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) and is seeking input from people who utilize the service.

The Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) is providing support for the in-depth evaluation which will also incorporate public feedback, according to the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners.

The county is encouraging residents and visitors to utilize EC Rider and participate in an online or in-person survey of their experience. EC Rider has routes throughout the county to serve transportation needs at various locations.

Routes and bus information can be found at ECRider.org. You can take the short online survey here.

The contractor for this project, HDR Inc., will be conducting interviews with various stakeholders from municipalities, chambers of commerce and the county to gather a wide range of input to improve the system.

Additionally, HDR associates will be riding as passengers on EC Rider’s routes during a site visit in June to explore opportunities for further system-wide improvements.

“EC Rider can be a vital part of providing affordable and accessible transportation to residents and visitors,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin.

“This comprehensive analysis will give us the opportunity to improve the existing system and explore new opportunities through thoughtful collaboration with local officials and other stakeholders.”

The results of the survey, interviews, and ride-along will be analyzed to develop a plan to improve the EC Rider experience and a strategy for the implementation of a new plan is expected in early 2024.

According to the announcement, the comprehensive analysis is intended to increase the value and efficiency of the public transportation system in Okaloosa County.

By examining the performance of bus services, the COA will identify opportunities to repurpose transit resources from low-performing areas, the board said. Its goal is to improve transit operations and increase ridership of tourists and residents.