MANATEE COUNTY, FL (October 30, 2024) – Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) will make several changes to fixed-route bus service beginning Saturday, November 2. The changes are designed to enhance transit service along several important corridors and provide more appealing transportation options for workers in Manatee County. Remember, the bus is always free in Manatee, with all fares waived on MCAT routes.
Route 6 on Cortez Road will now have service every 30 minutes between Desoto Station and Blake Hospital. This improvement will add an additional bus to the route. Once access to Coquina Beach is restored, the existing hourly service from DeSoto Station to Coquina Beach and back will continue to operate as scheduled. This major service improvement is funded by a grant through the Florida Department of Transportation, District 1.
Route 3 will now serve ONLY Manatee Avenue East/State Road 64 to Walmart and Traveler’s Oasis from the Downtown Station. Service will continue to be every 30 minutes all day, Monday through Saturday. Departure times at Walmart on State Road 64 will be :25 and :55 past the hour. To get to the beach, passengers will transfer to the Route 304. Route 3 will continue to have later evening service until approximately 9 pm.
Route 304 will now serve ONLY Manatee Avenue West from the Downtown Station. Service will continue every 30 minutes all day, Monday through Saturday. The departure times at from Manatee Public Beach will be at :25 and :55 past the hour. To get to Walmart on State Road 64, passengers will transfer to the Route 3. Route 304 will continue to have later evening service until approximately 9 pm.
In Palmetto, both Route 201 (Palmetto-Rubonia) and Route 13 (Palmetto-Washington Park) will be rerouted slightly after crossing the Green Bridge northbound. Both routes will continue east on 7th Street West, cross US 41 at the traffic signal and stop at a new bus stop for the Bradenton Area Convention Center Marriott. Service at the Convention Center hotel stop will be hourly alternating between Route 201 and Route 13. Following the new stop, both buses will continue on Haben Boulevard to the Palmetto Walmart and complete their current service. Some stops along Haben Boulevard and on 10th Street East near Palmetto Village Shopping Center will no longer receive service from Route 13 and Route 201. (Route 1 to Ellenton will continue to serve these stops each hour northbound.)
Printed copies of the new schedules are now available at the customer service booths at the Downtown (Bradenton) Transfer Station and the DeSoto Transfer Station. All changed schedules for MCAT routes will be available on each bus and
online at mymanatee.org/MCAT. Passengers can also call the MCAT Rider Information Line at (941) 749-7116 for more information.