Seminole County Adds Vans, App Tools to Fix SCOUT Delays
County leaders moved quickly after riders reported waits of an hour or more for SCOUT, the new on demand transit service, announcing extra vehicles and app changes to shorten delays. The steps matter for commuters, seniors and students who rely on local transit for work, school and medical appointments because they aim to reduce unpredictable wait times and prepare for continued ridership growth.
Seminole County officials announced a series of operational changes on December 9 after riders reported long waits for SCOUT, the county's new on demand transit service. The measures are designed to reduce wait times and manage rising demand as the program transitions from its launch phase to regular service.
County leaders said the service has been popular since launching, recording more than 30,000 rides in its first weeks. At the same time, some users experienced waits of an hour or more, prompting complaints that led officials to adjust deployment and customer tools. To respond, the county added seven vans to the existing fleet, moving toward the contract maximum of 55 vehicles, and said it will expand further if demand persists.
The operator of SCOUT, Freebee, introduced a wait time calculator in the rider app so passengers can estimate the best time to request a ride. County and transit staff also said they will continue to monitor demand patterns and adjust vehicle staging and routes based on real time data. Planners reminded riders about discounted fares available for seniors, students and eligible populations to help those with tighter budgets access the service.
For Seminole County residents the changes aim to make SCOUT a more reliable option for daily travel, especially for people who need predictable connections to work, schools and medical appointments. Adding vans should shorten peak wait times, while the app tool provides riders with more information to plan trips. Officials emphasized ongoing monitoring, signaling that deployment may shift as patterns of use become clearer in different parts of the county.
The county expects SCOUT ridership to continue growing and anticipates additional fleet expansion if demand remains high. In the near term residents should watch the rider app for updated wait estimates and review fare discount options to ensure access for seniors, students and other eligible riders. The operational adjustments are an early test of how local on demand transit can scale to meet community needs.
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