The Bay Runner trolley offering complimentary service between downtown Sarasota, St. Armands Circle and Lido Beach begins Wednesday, March 2, at 8 am. The free open-air trolley service will operate between downtown and the barrier islands with 12 pre-determined stops approximately 2-3 blocks apart in pedestrian areas along Main Street, St. Armands Circle and Lido Pavilion. The trolley endpoints will be Main Street/School Avenue and Ted Sperling Park at South Lido Beach. The trolley route map is available here. An additional stop will be added near Golden Gate Point when the U.S 41-Gulfstream Avenue roundabout is completed.

Hours of operation and headway times for the complimentary service will be: 8 am to midnight, seven days a week, including holidays, 20-minute headway time during peak hours and 30-minute during off-peak hours. The transit schedule will be monitored and modified as necessary to provide efficient service. The Bay Runner carries 28 passengers and is equipped with a wheelchair boarding lift. The Bay Runner was approved by the City Commission to help alleviate traffic congestion between downtown Sarasota and the barrier islands by offering an easy, hassle-free alternative to an automobile.

“If you can leave the car behind and let someone else do the driving at no cost, why wouldn’t you?” said Mayor Erik Arroyo. “Siesta Key has had success with a trolley, and we expect Sarasota will too. The Bay Runner will become a convenient, safe and fun way to get from downtown to St. Armands and Lido Beach for visitors and residents alike while naturally reducing the number of vehicles on the road.”

The City Commission partnered with the Downtown Improvement District (DID), St. Armands Business Improvement District (BID), Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and City staff to bring this amenity to reality. In addition to City economic development funds, and a $1.5 million FDOT grant, the DID and BID each allocated $50,000 toward the initial three-year program.

“I’m very enthusiastic about the Bay Runner,” said City Commissioner Hagen Brody, who presented the trolley concept to the City Commission for consideration last year. “This is a critical component of our broader micro and multimodal transportation additions to the City of Sarasota and will hopefully make it easier and quicker to get around downtown and out to the island.”

The Sarasota Bay Runner app will track real time information including approximate arrival times and will be available via the Apple App Store, Google Play and www.SarasotaBayRunner.com A QR code on Bay Runner stop signs directs users to the app as well. The service will be operated by CPR Medical Transport, the same company that runs the popular Siesta Key Breeze trolley. Beach totes, shopping bags and other carry-ons that can easily fit within a passenger seating area will be encouraged as it is hoped people will take the Bay Runner to come and go from the beach, shop and dine.

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