Regional Transit System

What Regional Transit System does

Regional Transit System (RTS) is the public transit department of the City of Gainesville, Florida, providing fixed-route bus service, ADA-compliant paratransit (RTS Plus), Mobility on Demand (Route 600), Gator Aider shuttles to University of Florida football games, and the 65/18 Free Fare Program for seniors and youth. In FY2024 RTS carried 5,481,555 fixed-route passenger trips and 47,797 paratransit trips across a fleet of 90 fixed-route and 27-35 demand-response vehicles, operating within the Gainesville metropolitan area. The system is funded through passenger fares, bus advertising sales, FDOT Public Transit Block Grant Program funds, FTA federal assistance, and City of Gainesville appropriations, with FY2024 operating revenue of approximately $16.2M against operating expenses of approximately $30M.

RTS's technology stack centers on a small set of digital products: GNVriderts.app (iOS/Android and desktop trip planner powered by Google Maps), GoRTS Fares (mobile ticketing app), RTSConnect (Mobility on Demand platform with geolocation tracking), and the RTS Bus Predictions Assistant (text-based real-time arrival tool launched July 2025). RTS also publishes GTFS data files for third-party developers. The underlying operations are based at the RTS Administrative Office (34 SE 13th Road) and ticketing/customer service at Rosa Parks Downtown Station and Butler Plaza Station. The system carries out ADA compliance, Title VI Civil Rights compliance (with a 2025-2028 Program including an Environmental Justice component), and Section 504 obligations as conditions of receiving federal funds.

RTS's commercial model combines unit-priced fares ($1.50 base, $3.00 all-day pass, $3.00 paratransit), subscription passes (monthly, semester), freemium access (65/18 Free Fare Program), advertising sales through the Marketing Communication & Sales department, and newly introduced 2.45% (minimum $1) transaction fees on card payments from August 2025. Customer segments include general public riders, UF and Santa Fe College students (who ride unlimited via transportation fees paid to the universities), ADA-certified paratransit riders, and seniors and youth under the free fare program. There is no enterprise sales motion; distribution is direct-to-rider through stations, the bus network, and self-serve mobile applications.

Name

Regional Transit System

Legal name

Regional Transit System (RTS)

Website

https://go-rts.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Regional Transit System (RTS) is the municipal public transit department of the City of Gainesville, FL, operating fixed-route buses, ADA paratransit, Mobility on Demand, and Gator Aider football shuttles for residents, UF and Santa Fe College students, ADA-certified riders, and seniors and youth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transportation

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Urban Transit Systems (48511), Special Needs Transportation (485991)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Transit Agencies (Bus, Rail, Metro, Paratransit) (BPAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Municipal/Transit-Agency Microtransit (First/Last-Mile Feeders) (TLAFAJAH), ADA/Accessible Paratransit (Complementary to Fixed-Route Transit) (THAIAHAA), Campus Shuttle & Fixed-Route Transit Services (EDALAKAC), Concessionary, Student & Employer Pass Programs (THAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Public transit services
• Fixed-route bus service
• ADA paratransit transportation
• Mobility on demand
• Municipal transit authority

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fixed-Route Transit Fares: Revenue from base fares ($1.50), passes (all-day, monthly, semester), and mobile bus passes for fixed-route bus service. Operating revenue FY2024: $16,064,290
2. Demand Response (Paratransit) Fares: Revenue from ADA paratransit service at $3.00 base fare. Operating revenue FY2024: $143,577
3. Transaction Processing Fees: Beginning August 2025, transaction fees of 2.45% (minimum $1) assessed for credit/debit card payments for mobile bus passes and Gator Aider service
4. Advertising Revenue: Bus advertising sales through RTS Marketing Communication & Sales department. RTS Transit Advertising Rates Sheet available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Regional Transit System (RTS) provides fixed-route public bus service and ADA paratransit (RTS Plus) across the Gainesville, FL metropolitan area, supplemented by Mobility on Demand (Route 600), the Gator Aider shuttle to University of Florida football games, the 65/18 Free Fare Program for seniors and youth, and mobile trip-planning and ticketing apps. The agency is a municipal department of the City of Gainesville funded by fares, advertising, and federal/state grants, and serves riders through physical stations, a 90-vehicle fixed-route fleet, a 35-vehicle paratransit fleet, and digital tools including the GNVriderts.app, GoRTS Fares, RTSConnect, and a text-based Bus Predictions Assistant.

Product overview

Regional Transit System (RTS) is a public transit agency operating a unified portfolio of fixed-route bus services and specialized transportation programs in Gainesville, FL. The core offering is fixed-route bus service supplemented by RTS Plus (ADA paratransit), Mobility on Demand (MOD) for flexible routing, and the Gator Aider special event service. RTS provides digital services through the RTSConnect mobile platform, GNVriderts.app mobile/desktop application, and GoRTS Fares app for mobile ticketing. Additional services include the 65/18 Free Fare Program, Community Bus Program, and Bus Advertising. The RTS Bus Predictions Assistant provides text-based arrival predictions. GTFS data files are available for third-party transit application developers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GNVRideRTS: Mobile app for trip planning and real-time transit information
• GoRTS Fares
• RTS Plus
• Gator Aider
• RTSConnect
• 65/18 Free Fare Program

Products and services

• Fixed-Route Bus Service Traditional fixed-route public transit service operating on published schedules and designated bus stops throughout Gainesville, FL. Service available weekdays (5:45AM-11:30PM), Saturdays (6:45AM-9:30PM), and Sundays (8:47AM-6:01PM) with a fleet of 90 vehicles in maximum service.
• RTS Plus (ADA Paratransit) Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant paratransit service providing transportation for ADA-certified individuals with disabilities who cannot use fixed-route bus service. Operates with 35 vehicles weekdays (6AM-11PM), Saturdays (6AM-8:30PM), and Sundays (9:30AM-6:30PM) at a $3.00 base fare.
• Mobility on Demand (MOD) On-demand transit service in designated areas connecting riders to fixed-route service and major destinations such as the Eastwood Meadows area to Rosa Parks Transfer via Route 600. Powered by the RTSConnect mobile application with geolocation tracking.
• Gator Aider Special event transit service providing transportation to University of Florida football games from campus and downtown locations, including Gator Aider passes purchasable via the GoRTS Fares app.
• 65/18 Free Fare Program Fare program offering free transit rides for seniors aged 65 and older and youth under 18 years old, addressing equitable access to public transportation for vulnerable populations.
• Community Bus Program Program allowing community organizations and groups to charter or utilize RTS bus services for special transportation needs within the Gainesville service area.
• Bus Advertising Advertising opportunity on the exterior and interior of RTS buses, with published rates available for download through the RTS Marketing Communication & Sales department, handled by Thomas Idoyaga.
• GNVriderts.app / riderts.app Mobile and desktop transit application providing trip planning, real-time bus information, schedules, and route maps powered by Google Maps. Available for iOS, Android, and web browsers via riderts.app.
• GoRTS Fares App Mobile application for purchasing and managing digital bus passes, including Gator Aider passes for UF football games. Available for iOS and Android, with credit/debit card payment subject to a 2.45% (minimum $1) transaction fee beginning August 2025.
• RTSConnect Mobile application platform providing public transit information, trip planning, and services for Mobility on Demand (Route 600). Collects geolocation data to provide personalized transit services and route optimization.
• RTS Bus Predictions Assistant Text-based bus arrival prediction service allowing riders to receive real-time arrival estimates by texting their bus stop ID number to 844-899-1556.
• GTFS Data Files General Transit Feed Specification data files containing transit schedules, routes, and geographic information available for download by third-party developers and transit applications at go-rts.com/rts-data/.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,481,555 passenger trips in FY2024 (8% increase from FY2023)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Center for Independent LivingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides ADA certification and ID card issuance for paratransit eligibility determination at 352-378-7474
• PassportParkingminorOthersThird-party parking app; exempt from new city transaction fees for parking payments. Note: This is listed as exempt from RTS transaction fee changes, indicating a non-commercial relationship.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART): HART operates fixed-route bus, TECO Line streetcar, and ADA paratransit in the Tampa metro under FDOT block grant funding and FTA oversight. Directly comparable in service portfolio, Florida institutional context, and federal/state compliance regime.
• LeeTran (Lee County Transit): LeeTran provides fixed-route bus and ADA paratransit in the Fort Myers/Cape Coral metro. Directly comparable to RTS as a mid-size Florida county/municipal transit operator with paratransit and student/seasonal ridership components.
• Sun Tran: Sun Tran runs fixed-route bus and Sun Van ADA paratransit in the Tucson metro. Comparable mid-size urban transit operator with mixed farebox/funding model and similar aged-fleet modernization pressures.
• Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA): JTA provides fixed-route bus, the Skyway APM, First Coast Flyer BRT, and paratransit across the Jacksonville metro. Comparable as a multi-modal Florida transit authority with similar regulatory/funding structure and emphasis on ADA services.
• LYNX (Central Florida Regional Transit Authority): LYNX is the public transit agency serving the Orlando metro (Orange, Seminole, Osceola counties) with fixed-route bus, NeighborLink microtransit, and AccessLYNX ADA paratransit — directly comparable to RTS in product mix (fixed-route + paratransit + microtransit), Florida regulatory environment, and municipal-department operating model.
• IndyGo: IndyGo provides fixed-route bus and Open Door paratransit for Indianapolis under FTA Title VI/ADA compliance. Comparable mid-size city transit agency with similar federal/state funding mix and ridership growth trajectory post-modernization.
• Palm Tran: Palm Tran operates fixed-route bus and Palm Tran Connection paratransit across Palm Beach County, FL. Comparable scope, funding structure (FDOT, FTA, county government), ADA program, and mid-market scale.
• CapMetro (Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority): CapMetro operates bus, MetroRail, and MetroAccess paratransit in Austin, TX, with significant university (UT Austin) ridership and demand-response service comparable to RTS's UF/Santa Fe alignment. Similar institutional/student ridership mix.
• PSTA (Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority): PSTA operates fixed-route bus and Access paratransit in Pinellas County, FL, with a comparable mid-size-city scale, FDOT/FTA funding mix, and direct-connect microtransit pilot (Direct Connect). Closely matches RTS's institutional and operational profile.

Emerging players

• Via Transportation: Via operates on-demand microtransit software that powers services like RTS's Mobility on Demand (Route 600). Comparable as the underlying technology/operating model for the MOD segment, and a potential expansion path for RTS-style agencies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RegionalTransitSystem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/plaza-royale

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Regional Transit System