ORLANDO, Fla. — A recent report issued by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority revealed that 78% of travelers reach Orlando International Airport by car. That number includes people who park on property, rental cars and rideshare services.
Of the passengers that arrive by car, 30% use rental cars, 28% use Uber/LYFT, 20% are dropped off by friends or family, and the rest use some kind of charter or shuttle bus.
“Uber was, for where we were staying, the more convenient way of transport for us,” said Maria Ord, who traveled from New Zealand.
Only 0.4% of passengers use LYNX buses to get to the airport.
“Well, that is the way people have always gotten to the airport. There is bus service, but that is the only type of mass transportation we have to the airport right now,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said.
District 2 Orlando Commissioner Tony Ortiz said the city wants to add bus rapid transit along the Semoran corridor, which would operate like the LYMMO service downtown, but the only problem is the cost to expand to the airport is estimated to be around $450 million.
“The Central Florida region is growing immensely and more than ever we need a solid, a dependent system of public transportation,” Ortiz said. “We definitely need to think seriously about being able to get a secure and dedicated funding to implement public transit.”
The region is also in the process of funding an expansion of SunRail service out to the airport.
“That would be a real difference maker,” Dyer said.
He said by the end of this year the project development and environment study will be complete, and then they can start applying for federal funding.
“So you think about having the ability to get on at any of the stops SunRail currently has on the 61 miles and travel to the airport,” Dyer said.
A reliable rail service could benefit both the passengers and employees. Right now, out of the 25,000 airport employees, about 84% of them drive to work and about 3% take LYNX buses.