DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Delray Beach may soon take its next step in keeping connected despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community leaders are expected to discuss the possible return of a key route service, helping both workers and visitors get around town.
"Yeah, yeah, people love it," a man who identified himself only as Charles said.
Charles drives for Connect Delray Beach. The point-to-point free service shut down for two months because of COVID-19 concerns. June 1st, they hit the streets once again and ridership is on the up.
"The average during the week is a little bit lower than the weekend, but I would say about 120," he said.
Now theDelray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, or CRA, is being asked to re-start its "Downtown Connect Service" which runs on a fixed route from State Road A1A down Atlantic Avenue to North Congress Avenue.
CRA staff have received more than 50 calls and emails from residents to business owners whose workers relied on the service.
"Maybe some of us have a vehicle, but some people don't and there's going to be some people that actually need that help. And yes, it's definitely a good idea to bring it back," Orlando Gonzalez said.
To re-start the program, the CRA must make a request to the city, which it could do at Thursday's CRA meeting.
"If it brings us all together, I'm all for it, no matter what that looks like or the cost," Steven Muschlitz said.
If the service starts back up, the CRA is proposing safety precautions like plastic dividers between drivers and passengers, mandatory masks and limiting the number of passengers.
