Miami-Dade Bus Cuts Would Hit Early and Late Riders

Miami-Dade riders who depend on buses before sunrise or late at night could see fewer options under Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's proposed FY 2026-27 budget, which would eliminate 12 Metrobus routes and cut early or late service on many others.

The proposal is not final. The mayor's office says public discussion continues through August, and final county budget hearings are scheduled for September before Miami-Dade commissioners approve a spending plan.

What would change

The county's transportation budget says the plan would end early-morning service before 5:59 a.m. on 44 Miami-Dade-operated bus routes and end late-evening service after 10:01 p.m. on 38 county-operated routes. The late-evening reduction alone is projected to eliminate 83,974 annual bus revenue hours and affect about 3,231 rides per weekday, with an estimated 1,600 users needing another route or another way to travel.

The proposal also would eliminate six county-operated routes: 132, 203, 204, 279, 288 and 338. Miami-Dade estimates that would cut 38,835 annual revenue hours and affect about 2,736 weekday rides, with roughly 1,500 users needing an alternative.

Six contract-operated routes, 42, 16, 25, 272, 57 and 70, also would be eliminated. The budget estimates those cuts would affect 1,673 rides per weekday and about 900 users. Four more contract routes, 510, 152, 15 and 72, would see early-morning or late-evening service adjusted.

Why it matters for Miami

The cuts would land hardest on trips that happen outside the standard commute window. For workers with early shifts, late restaurant or hospitality hours, airport schedules, cleaning jobs, health-care shifts or long transfers, losing the first or last bus can be the difference between a usable route and no practical transit option.

The timing also matters because many riders will have to decide whether to speak up before the budget is locked in, not after service changes are scheduled. Route-by-route impacts can be narrow in countywide ridership terms but large for people who depend on a specific bus at a specific hour.

Miami Today reported this week that transit advocates are warning about economic consequences from the early and late reductions. WLRN previously reported that the 12 routes proposed for elimination account for a small share of overall county ridership, but still represent thousands of weekday rides.

Why the county is proposing it

The mayor's office says the budget keeps the county operating property-tax rate flat for a fourth straight year while dealing with slower revenue growth, rising costs and reduced dedicated transit revenues tied to state budget cuts. The county says transit spending would still rise by $66 million, while the service reductions focus on lower-ridership early-morning and late-night routes.

The proposal also avoids a fare or fuel-tax increase and protects Special Transportation Services and MetroConnect, according to the mayor's office.

What happens next

The most important dates for riders are the September budget hearings, when commissioners can keep, modify or reject the proposed reductions. Until then, riders on the named routes should check county budget updates and meeting notices, especially if their job or school trip depends on a first bus, last bus or lower-ridership route.