The Citrus Connection‘s board of directors approved the routes for its new service, called “The Squeeze”, which will use 8 passenger gasoline-powered carts to ferry riders around downtown Lakeland. The downtown shuttle service called “The Squeeze” starts in July.
The lunchtime crowd and visitors from parking and offices to restaurants, bars, and shopping via a concentric loop from Lake Morton Drive, up to Tennessee Avenue to Bay Street, and over to Kentucky Avenue, with a stretch along Lake Mirror Drive.
Weekend evening patrons will get expanded access courtesy of two carts running opposite directions between the hotels next to the RP Funding Center and Florida Southern College’s Usonian House on Frank Lloyd Wright Way.
Lunch Loop, will operate 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
The Night Shuttle will utilize two carts running opposite directions from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Initial plans called for the purchase of electric carts. But, the Citrus Connection purchased carts that run on gasoline, due to concerns over charging times for electric while being able to maintain the consistency of the interval times of the loops.
Riders can purchase tickets – $3 for a week pass or $9 for a month pass – via a cashless mobile ticketing app.