Okaloosa bus routes likely to be cut

CRESTVIEW — Okaloosa County commissioners have set a Sept. 3 public hearing to discuss possibly eliminating Crestview and Destin bus routes. The meeting is 6:30 p.m. at the county Courthouse in Crestview.

Okaloosa County Transit, a nonprofit that operates the buses, has seen its state and federal funding dwindle dramatically, leaving it with major budget shortfalls.

OCT requested $525,000 from the county for the 2013-14 fiscal year — a $235,000, or 80 percent, increase over this year. Commissioners rejected that proposal and say OTC will have to operate with the $290,000 it received this year.

To make its budget, OTC has proposed cutting its two routes in Crestview, which has lost riders in the past year, and possibly one route in Destin.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa bus routes likely to be cut