SANFORD, Fla. — The time is finally here — eight Lynx routes throughout Seminole County are officially discontinued.

What You Need To Know

As of Jan. 11, eight LYNX routes are no longer operational in Seminole County

Seminole County leaders made the decision to incorporate Scout, their newest form of public transportation, to save money and provide riders flexibility

Asides from the discontinued routes, LYNX has made additional schedules changes, now in affect

The following routes are ending:

Link 34: North U.S. 17-92/Sanford. (Seminole County)
Link 45: Lake Mary (Seminole County)
Link 46E: East First Street/Downtown Sanford (Seminole County)
Link 46W: West State Road 46/Seminole Towne Center (Seminole County)
Link 103: North U.S. 17-92/Seminole Center (Seminole County)
Link 434: State Road 434 (Seminole County)
Neighborhood Link 822: Oviedo (Seminole County)
Neighborhood Link 851: Sanford (Seminole County)

Altamonte Springs resident Linda Tap says she would take the bus several times a week for the last five years.

“There’s a whole lot of businesses along 434 that I don’t have access to anymore. I also would use bus 103 that would run to Sanford just for different activities. The courthouse, I’ve had to do fingerprinting, I’ve had to do jury trials. I’ve had to do all kinds of things and I had to bus on that,” said Tap.

Last year, Seminole commissioners decided low ridership meant it was time to remove some routes and save money. They signed a contract with Freebee and replaced the routes with Scout, the county’s newest form of public transportation, which riders can book online.

Scout riders can get more flexibility with pick-up and drop-off locations, instead of going to a designated bus stop. However, it will only operate in Seminole County.

“We have data now to understand where Seminole County citizens actually need to go and where they’re coming from,” said vice-chair Amy Lockhart. “As an example, Lynx never had any stops or routes on Rinehart Road. And now we’re seeing that there is a huge demand for people in the county to go to Rinehart Road in Lake Mary. So we didn’t even realize that there was a need there and Scout is filling it.”

Scout drivers travel five zones throughout the county. Trips start at $4 and increased based on how many zones you cross, however discounts are available for eligible riders.

Lockhart says changes can be made as they go, but she’s encouraging Lynx riders to get familiar with the system — she says millions of taxpayer dollars will be saved through it. County leaders estimate about 700 riders a day use Scout. Seven more vehicles and more drivers are on their way.

“Folks who live in Orange County move differently than people in Seminole County,” said Lockhart. “So we found a system that works best for our community, while still giving the people the ability to connect regionally through SunRail. It’s a great solution.”

Passengers who don’t have a smartphone to download the Freebee app can schedule a ride by calling (407) 665-RIDE (7433).

In addition to the discontinuation of the Seminole routes, LYNX has made schedule changes and released new maps.