The Orange County Board of Commissioners approved over $109 million in funding for Lynx, increasing bus route coverage, safety measures, and service hours for fiscal year 2026-2027.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
The Orange County Board of Commissioners has approved more than $109 million in funding for Lynx transit services for fiscal year 2026-2027, an increase from the $102 million allocated last year.
“It’s enough to bolster the existing routes and to add some additional features for safety,” said Nicole Wilson, Orange County commissioner for District 1.
The county will also allocate nearly $2.5 million to I-Drive’s Community Redevelopment Agency bus service, aiming to reduce wait times for seven routes in the area and extend weekday and weekend service hours.
Additionally, almost $9.5 million will be directed toward reducing wait times on 12 key routes, increasing Sunday service between Orlando International Airport and University Boulevard, and extending service to the Pine Hills Transfer Station.
“We weren’t getting to the people who needed that additional service. We have routes that a lot of our employees for the largest employers in the county use that don’t come frequently enough to get them to their shift or to get them home after their shift,” Wilson said.
The county said operating costs account for the majority of the funding increase, with the added funds primarily coming from the county’s general fund.
Commissioners emphasized that the new safety measures enabled by the funding will improve the quality of life for bus riders.
“If we want people to ride the bus, we need to make sure that they can be comfortable and safe,” Wilson said.
She also noted that some of the funds will be used to improve bus stops, providing shelter for riders from Florida’s weather conditions.
“It takes money to get that, and that way we will hopefully see the benefit of that everywhere across the board,” Wilson said.
The county confirmed that Lynx will begin submitting monthly invoices starting this month.