OFM_Dept_Transportation_0619_FINAL_DEPT 6 / 24 / 19 10 : 37 AM Page 1 TRANSPORTATION Moving By Brittany Ann Morrisey Forward When it comes to getting around in Central Florida , commuting by car is the option most residents choose . And maybe that’s not surprising considering Orlando was always designed for car travel between the far - flung sub - urbs , the strip malls and the giant parking lots . “ It’s kind of a toxic relationship , ” Moran says . But while the city’s past may be about cars and This metaphor of dating your public trans - highways , the future , according to transit advocates portation is how he explains the problems in and experts , lies in public transportation . Because Orlando’s bus and rail systems , namely that there as our roads are widened to their absolute max and is a lack of communication and reliability causing become filled to the brim with vehicles , there’s many Orlandoans to abstain from using either . only so much traffic that can be moved efficiently . Moran and his Omnimodal co - founder , But although a better public transportation system contract with Omnimodol that will have it piloting Nathan Selikoff , want to change that by using is what’s needed , there are hurdles standing in the an analytics dashboard to help the city government real - time information to inform riders and the way including a significant lack of funding to better manage transportation demand . people who manage the transportation systems . make our current systems ( SunRail and Lynx ) sol - “ You should be able to see in real time where vent . Unfortunately , if we can’t fix these problems LYNX all the bike - share bikes are , where the SunRail today , Orlando’s transportation future may just be David Porter , a transit advocate and a former train is , where the Lynx buses are , [ and ] where a commuter’s nightmare . Orlando Sentinel reporter , agrees that a lack of smart parking and electric charging stations are tion the communication is a big hurdle for riders of the available , ” Moran says . “ And on top of that we then COMMUNICATION of orta y Lynx and SunRail . Seeing that there was a void , he send data analytics to decision - makers so that they To hear it from David Thomas Moran of Omni - rtes ansp created two websites , SunRailRiders.com and u can make high - level decisions in a better way that modal , a social technology venture that works to Tr co f LynxedTogether.com , devoted to informing the optimizes our mobility ecosystem and our trans - improve transit systems , Central Florida’s current ering o ent public about Orlando’s bus and rail systems and portation infrastructure . ” public transportation is just not “ dateable . ” end rtm chronicling the ongoing issues with each . Selikoff and Moran have worked with the city Between not being available on the weekends r epa 4 e Porter is blunt about the issues plaguing Lynx , of Sanford to optimize its trolley and with the I - to a lack of communication , making a commit - stat D da the regional bus system that connects Orange , RideTrolley , which runs up and down International ment to ride the bus or the rail is like being lori nter Seminole and Osceola counties . Drive . The city of Orlando is currently finalizing a involved with someone who doesn’t love you back . I F 14 ORLANDO FAMILY july 2019 ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM