After the Loop’s Gone, What’s Next for Key West Transit?
Even with enhancements underway, reliable funding is key to making transit dependable for workers, residents, and visitors.
November 29, 2025. About six weeks after our October 12 story asked, “Can Key West Transit Rise Again?” where we detailed the impending cuts and analyzed existing services and plans, transit staff recently laid out a clearer, if still uncertain, path forward at a November 13 public meeting in Bahama Village.
The Duval Loop, a vital circulator route for visitors, workers and residents alike will be officially suspended on December 31, 2025. While the Loop continues to run for a few more weeks, this, we hope, temporary shutdown underscores the ongoing challenges facing City amid budget cuts and shifting funding landscapes.
We learned at the meeting that within the framework of this year’s budget, the Key West Transit (KWT) team is actively making numerous small but meaningful improvements across the system. These include upgrades to bike racks on the buses, backend software enhancements for the Key West Rides on-demand service, farebox modernization, and route fine-tuning on the Lower Keys Shuttle and Workforce Express. At the same time, staff are focused on securing funding to bring the Loop back and improve service frequencies and capacities on other routes. We learned the meeting is part of a broader dialogue KWT wants to have with the community, reflected in public meetings held in November—and with another meeting planned for December, though the date has yet to be announced.
In our story below we’ll go through what we’ve been hearing about these improvements, listen to what the public has to say, discuss why finding reliable funding is consequential to improved service and how we need to stay on top of officials to ensure this all happens.
What We Know So Far: Key Takeaways
Duval Loop
The suspension of the Duval Loop is now official, with the last day of service set for December 31, 2025. However, city staff emphasize that this is a temporary suspension rather than a permanent elimination. There is no set date for when the Loop will restart, but hopes are pinned on the next fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2026. To guide improvements, the city has engaged a consultant to review the Loop’s operations and recommend changes that better integrate potential future mobility hubs.
Working on Improvements This Year That Include:
At the November meeting, Transit Director Rogelio Hernandez shared some exciting updates on the many improvements underway across Key West Transit. These projects tackle rider concerns and operational challenges head-on, aiming to enhance the overall transit experience in tangible ways. Here’s a closer look at what’s happening:
- Bike Racks: Key West Transit is installing new bike racks on all buses, increasing capacity from two to three bikes. These upgraded racks are designed to accommodate larger, heavier bikes, including longer and thicker models, directly addressing frequent rider complaints. A cool new feature will provide real-time information on bike rack availability, helping riders know in advance if there is space for their bike. This enhancement encourages multimodal trips by making it easier for cyclists to combine biking with bus travel, a crucial step in expanding transit accessibility and convenience.
- On-Demand Software Upgrades: The Key West Rides on-demand service is undergoing backend software upgrades aimed at improving operational efficiency. A key focus is enforcing a no-show policy more effectively to reduce service disruptions caused by riders who book rides (taking up allocated seat space) but fail to show up. Additionally, workers will soon be able to pre-book rides up to a week in advance and specify arrival times, allowing the system to optimize pick-up schedules and improve reliability. By minimizing no-shows and enabling advance booking, the system can better allocate resources and ensure more reliable service for all users, especially workers.
- Farebox Modernization is underway, with plans to enable tap payments using credit cards and mobile wallets like Apple Pay. Expected to be operational by spring, this upgrade will streamline fare collection, reduce boarding times, and enhance convenience for riders who prefer cashless payment options.
- Route Fine-Tuning efforts include specific adjustments to the Lower Keys Shuttle to address delays caused by driver breaks and refueling stops. These changes aim to shorten trip durations and improve schedule reliability, directly responding to rider feedback about lengthy wait times and inefficiencies.
- Electric Bus: Key West Transit is preparing to introduce its first electric bus in January. While it won’t enter service until summer to allow for driver training, this vehicle represents a significant step toward a cleaner, more sustainable fleet.
- Marketing: Outreach efforts will be expanded through a partnership with South Florida Commuter Services, focusing on rebranding, marketing, and community engagement. This collaboration is designed to boost public awareness and ridership by improving communication channels and conducting targeted outreach to better connect with the community. These are the same folks who originally branded the Duval Loop and Car-Free Key West and we’re glad to see them back to help out.
- New Planning Software: The adoption of new transit planning software will support future service changes and public outreach initiatives. This advanced tool will enable data-driven decision-making and facilitate more effective engagement with the public as Key West Transit evolves its services. A key part is inputting data from Key West Rides to better pinpoint needs of the fixed route services.
Community Reaction
Since we began covering potential cuts to both County and City transit services on July 1, the community’s response has been vocal and heartfelt, reflecting the deep reliance many have on public transit for daily mobility. The Duval Loop, in particular, has become a symbol of effective transit that helped keep tourists out of their cars, eased parking and congestion, and connected people to shops, restaurants, and key destinations. This importance is underscored by the fact that five of our top 10 stories over the last six years were focused on transit cuts just this summer, with our social media pages also full of public angst.
At the November public meetings, workforce transit reliability and accessibility remained top concerns. Many emphasized that dependable service is critical for employees who rely on buses to get to work on time. Business leaders like Paul Menta, of Shop Mom and Pop Key West, highlighted the tangible impact of transit cuts on their employees, stressing that reduced service threatens workforce stability and local economic vitality. Menta noted that many of his employees depend on transit, and cuts could worsen staffing challenges already felt across the local economy.
Riders shared mixed feedback about the Duval Loop. While all appreciated its role in connecting key destinations, some pointed to frustrations with its route length and frequency. The announced suspension has raised worries about accessibility and convenience, especially for those who depended on the Loop for daily errands and commutes. Transit staff acknowledged these concerns and emphasized their commitment to bringing the Loop back in an improved form, alongside ongoing efforts to enhance amenities and service reliability across the system.
Additional feedback from the first public meeting in November included suggestions to explore late-night or 24-hour service options to better accommodate residents and workers with non-traditional schedules. Concerns were raised about the “Seat Unavailable” prompt on the Key West Rides app, which some found unclear or frustrating when booking rides. There were also worries about the ability of some riders, especially seniors, to use the on-demand Key West Rides app effectively. One rider expressed a preference for multiple small, fixed-route loops around the island instead of the current Uber-like on-demand buses.
Transit Director Rogelio Hernandez said outreach efforts would focus on seniors and underserved communities, aiming to ensure that transit remains equitable and responsive to all residents’ needs. Community feedback continues to shape planning and service adjustments.
One longtime resident reflected on the Duval Loop as “the best idea I’ve seen the City of Key West come up with,” expressing hope that with Rogelio Hernandez at the helm, funding will be found to rejuvenate this essential route. Paul Menta noted that workers use the Duval Loop to navigate downtown after being dropped off by the Lower Keys Shuttle and expressed concern that they might give up on transit once the Loop is gone. However, he told officials that if new funding is secured, the priority should be better service for workers, including increased frequency on the Lower Keys Shuttle and Workforce Express, noting how many downtown workers now live further up the Keys.
Feedback gathered over the summer also underscored the community’s reliance on transit and the importance of maintaining and improving service despite budget challenges. These voices continue to inform the ongoing dialogue between transit staff and the public.
Together, these perspectives paint a picture of a community deeply invested in the future of Key West Transit, eager for solutions that balance fiscal realities with the need for reliable, accessible transportation.
Funding: The Crux of the Matter
It was encouraging to hear about all the new projects and improvements staff are working on, but for transit to truly improve — with more services, higher frequencies, and longer, reliable hours that serve workers, residents, and visitors — the system needs more funding. As local business leader Paul Menta emphasized, the City must take transit as seriously as it does affordable housing, because transit is just as critical to the community’s well-being and economic vitality. We agree wholeheartedly with Paul!
Key West’s transit system has long relied heavily on grants, and they must have mentioned going after more grants half a dozen times at the meeting. While we applaud wanting not to tax locals, grants should be used to enhance service, not fund its base. It is the overreliance on this kind of funding that has contributed to the boom and bust cycle of cuts and uncertainty and never fulfilling the long-term plans. In fact, this year it led to the suspension of the island’s best-used service.
To break this pattern, city and county leaders need to get creative and explore new local revenue sources that can stabilize and expand transit services sustainably. Discussions are ongoing with County officials, and there is interest in tapping into cruise ship and Tourist Development Council (TDC) funds as potential revenue streams.
Monica Haskell, who attended the November meeting, mentioned she is still actively working with the Tourist Development Council, highlighting ongoing collaboration efforts to explore funding opportunities.
Many of the revenue-generating ideas and cost-saving strategies discussed by the internal staff Transportation Coordination Team (TCT) — including increased parking violation fines, improved Park N Ride signage, special event surge pricing, advertising opportunities, and the new tap-to-pay fare system — have been incorporated into this year’s budget or are actively being pursued. Transit staff is also exploring operational efficiencies through improved routing, vehicle types, fuel alternatives, and other strategies to reduce expenditures
While these efforts are promising and nibble around the edges, a reliable, steady local funding source is still needed as the base to truly improve and expand transit. Cruise ship and TDC funds could and should be part of that solution.
Over the summer, our coverage has highlighted the funding challenges and the urgent need for innovative solutions. Without a stable and dedicated funding source, restoring and enhancing transit services — including bringing back the Duval Loop and improving frequencies on key routes — will remain difficult.
Our leaders at the City and County face a critical moment to prioritize transit funding and ensure the system can meet the community’s needs now and into the future.
For more on the potential of tourist dollars to solve transit funding challenges, see our related story: Could Tourist Dollars Be the Answer to Our Transit Funding Problem?
What to Watch For and Looking Ahead
As we continue to follow Key West Transit’s evolving story, there are several key developments to watch closely. Ongoing public engagement will shape the future of transit services, with community feedback playing a critical role in guiding decisions. The new partnership with South Florida Commuter Services promises to enhance outreach, marketing, and rider engagement, helping to build stronger connections between transit and the community.
Funding strategies and partnerships remain central to the system’s sustainability, with updates expected as city and county leaders explore creative revenue sources. Progress on mobility innovations, including planning tools and service improvements, will also be important indicators of how transit adapts to changing needs.
Continued collaboration between the City and County will be essential to securing a stable future for Key West Transit.
Looking ahead, our coverage will remain committed to providing timely updates from meetings, developments, and community conversations, ensuring that residents, workers, and visitors stay informed about the transit system that serves them.
This ongoing dialogue underscores why transit matters so deeply to Key West — it is a lifeline for many, a key to economic vitality, and a cornerstone of the city’s vision for a sustainable, accessible future.
# # #
Recent transit stories leading up to today’s:
- After the Cuts Can Key West Transit Rise Again? October 12, 2025
- No Director, No Department, No Direction: Monroe County’s Transit Collapse September 21, 2025
- Duval Loop Eliminated: A Tragedy — and a Turning Point September 14, 2025
- Could Tourist Dollars Be The Answer to Our Transit Funding Problem? August 31, 2025
- Even If You’ll Never Ride the Bus, You’ll Feel It When It’s Gone August 24, 2025
- Transit Is Collapsing in the Keys. Will Business Leaders Let It? August 17, 2025
- Dumb and Dumber Transit Cuts: A Failure of Leadership in the Keys August 3, 2025
Chris Hamilton is the founder of Friends of Car-Free Key West & Duval Street/Historic Downtown, a local advocacy group championing sustainable mobility and vibrant public spaces. Subscribe to the blog and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Substack for updates. All stories are cross posted at KONK Life News. Originally from Washington, D.C., Chris spent over two decades leading nationally acclaimed initiatives in transit, biking, walking, and smart growth for Arlington County, VA’s DOT. Since moving to Key West in 2015, he has embraced a car-free lifestyle downtown, dedicating his time to non-profits and community projects. Explore all Streets for People column articles here.
KWTransit is in failure. When a public utility is unable to service 1/3 of the residents who are using the agency app to ask for help are denied. That is failure. The entire management should be fired for complete failure to achieve the goals that they were hired for.
The primary job of a public transit system is to pick people up where they are, and safely take them where they need to go.
With the system failing to meet its basic goal, what is Key West working on?
1. Bike racks to accommodate more and larger bikes!
2. Software upgrades to reduce disruptions when people book multiple rides two weeks in advance and don’t take the trip, because they know the only way to reliably get a ride is to precook.
3. Farebox modernization to allow people to tap their credit cards to expedite boarding!
4. Route fine tuning: an attempt to reduce the time that customers wait on the bus while the driver takes a break, or fuels the bus!
5. Electric Bus: We are spending money that could run the Duval Loop for a year to offset carbon emissions by dozens of new coal burning power plants in China!
6. Marketing and branding!
7. More new software to improve efficiency.
When we look at failure there are several levels. If the system is unable to serve potential riders, we need a new director. When Missus Smith takes the bus from Poinciana downtown, and has to walk five miles home because there is no bus available for her during regular hours, the City Manager should be fired.
We don’t need to win awards for the fanciest facilities. We don’t need to have the first all electric bus in south Florida. We don’t need the latest and greatest computer software. We don’t need award winning branding.
We need a system that picks people up where they are, and safely takes them where they need to go.