PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Palm Beach County leaders will meet Tuesday to discuss a budget that could eliminate more than 22,000 Palm Tran Connection trips for disabled riders annually.
The budget meeting is set to start at 9:30 a.m. and will address a proposal that affects nearly 5 million riders who depend on the transit system, including thousands of disabled adults.
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While the county is proposing to increase para-transit funding by $12 million, likely due to growing demand, the cuts would also eliminate more than 22,000 trips a year, during holidays and early and late hours of the day, according to Palm Tran.
Joyce Vargas, a parent advocating for disabled riders, said the December pickup time cuts to Palm Tran Connection had already affected many kids in her son's community group.
"It's put a damper on his work, put a damper on his social life," Vargas said.
"They need bus transportation like you need your car to drive," Vargas said.
Vargas is urging the county to look for inefficiencies within the system before cutting service that vulnerable riders depend on every day.
"I don't think it's a dire hardship on them to not run on the holidays. Most governments are closed on the holidays, and that would help their budget also," Vargas said.
In a statement, Palm Tran said it will ask commissioners to provide direction on the scenarios it will present.
Vargas said she wants county leaders to prioritize disabled adults who rely on the service.
"County leaders, we need to stick up for our, for our handicapped, our adult children out there that, that want to thrive, that want to be in society," Vargas said.
"As part of the 2027 budget process, all county departments were asked to review their budgets for cost reduction potential. We are not recommending any of the scenarios we will present tomorrow specifically, but are asking for the Board of County Commissioners to provide direction," says Janessa Croce, Senior Manager of PR.
