1. Community of Learning Transportation Services (COLTS)
Program Overview
June 29, 2016

2. History
A public workshop between transit officials, school officials, students and parents in the eastern part of Polk County revealed there was a gap in service that wasn’t provided by the school district.

3. Establishing a need
Students at Haines City High School were not taking part in extra-curricular activities including athletics, club activities and tutoring opportunities because of a lack of transportation.
It was reported that students who reside in Poinciana and participated in HCHS after-school activities walked up to 16 miles to get home in the dark.

4. Simple solution
The COLTS program began as a pilot in summer 2013 for 300 high school students and was made available to all of Polk County’s 25,000 high school students in fall 2013.
At the time Citrus Connection, the Polk County Board of County Commissioners, Polk Transit and The Polk County School Board crafted a Universal Access agreement that makes it possible for all public school “high school” students in our county to use public transportation at NO COST, Monday through Friday.

5. Guidelines
All students need is the COLTS hole-punch, completed by their school administrator, on their student ID badge. The student can then ride any standard transit bus in Polk County, whenever and wherever the buses are running. 

6. Not a tripper service
COLTS is careful to stay within the tripper regulation by using the existing public transportation system. Polk’s bus routes already included mid-route stops at high schools before the COLTS system, and no routes were changed to accommodate the program. Students ride public buses Polk County, Florida 19 Beyond the Yellow Bus with other members of the public.

7. Ridership

8. Public Outreach

9. Summer of Safety
The Summer of Safety program, the first of its kind in the United States, was initially funded through drug forfeiture proceeds at no cost the taxpayers a single penny.
In other words, the bad guys paid for the children to ride the bus all summer.

10. Enter Sheriff Grady Judd
Beginning June 10, and running through August 14, the Polk Sheriff’s Charities will subsidize transportation to any Polk County middle and high school student.
This year, thanks to Sheriff Judd, we’re going countywide.
Last year, the Summer of Safety program delivered more than 2,700 youth rides, and ridership is expected to eclipse that figure in 2016.

11. Summer of Safety

12. Summer of Safety
The Summer of Safety provides meaningful access to participate in activities. Standing on the street corners this summer because "I don't have anywhere to go" is unacceptable.

13. Summer of Safety

14. Summer of Safety

15. Summer of Safety

16. Questions?