(ORLANDO, FL) The Central Florida Expressway Authority will offer rebates to school buses using the CFX expressway system starting in February, 2016. The CFX Board today voted unanimously to extend the rebates, which are expected to save approximately $200,000, in Orange County alone. The rebates will also be available to school districts in Brevard, Lake, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia counties.
“When we talk about having a regional Board looking at regional transportation solutions, this is the kind of thing we’re talking about,” said Lake County Commissioner and CFX Chairman Welton Cadwell. “When Commissioner Boyd brought this to our attention, it seemed like a no-brainer, so I’m happy that we were able to get it done to help the children of Central Florida. Our schools need all the help they can get and we’re thrilled to be able to offer this relief to them so that they can direct funds they were using to pay tolls to education.”
The 99 percent rebates will only apply to school buses transporting students on official school business and each bus must be equipped with an E-PASS. Rebates will be available any time CFX exceeds its projected revenue by at least 2 percent in any given month.
“This is a great way to be a good community partner in Central Florida,” said Orange County Commissioner Scott Boyd, CFX’s vice-chairman. “The school districts in Central Florida have an important job to do with limited funds. Giving some money back to the schools so that those funds can go back into the classroom and help more kids, is an exciting opportunity and I’m happy we are able to do it.”
The rebate program will go into effect on February 1, 2016. Between now and then, CFX staff will work to outfit the region’s school buses with a free E-PASS.