The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted Tuesday to prohibit commercial bus stops within city limits, a move aimed at addressing ongoing community concerns about transient populations and public safety.
- In a series of votes, the council passed three ordinances on first-reading that will eliminate commercial bus stops in Fort Walton Beach, including the county’s sole Greyhound station located at a Shell gas station. The measures will prohibit new bus stops immediately and require the existing stop to cease operations by September 10, 2025.
The decision follows months of discussion and public meetings on how to “improve the quality of life” in the city, particularly around the Shell Station Convenient Store at the intersection of Highway 98 and Wright Parkway SW.
Officials cited several concerns with having bus stops at convenience stores. These locations often lack adequate food, water, and restroom facilities for passengers, according to documents. There have been reports nationwide of passengers being stranded at convenience store stops without access to basic necessities. The city views this as a safety issue for both passengers and the general public.
- The City noted that Greyhound’s parent company, purchased by a German private equity group in 2023, has been closing dedicated facilities across the country in favor of contracting with convenience stores. The city says this trend is not expected to improve, prompting the city to take preemptive action.
Growth Management Director Chris Frassetti explained that the ordinances stemmed from “discussion a while back looking at some of the concerns for safety and some of the use over there.”
The owner of the convenience store that hosts the Greyhound stop expressed concerns about the financial impact on his business. He revealed that he earns between $8,000 to $10,000 annually from the bus stop.
A Greyhound representative also addressed the council. He stated that the company has provided service to Fort Walton Beach for over 60 years and emphasized the importance of the service to the community. He noted that the majority of Greyhound riders in Florida are lower to middle income, and the service provides key transportation for those who cannot drive or afford airline tickets.
- “We believe that our services are important to this community,” he said. He added that Greyhound fares are about half the cost of airline tickets for destinations like Atlanta.
Some council members expressed reservations about the impact on private property rights, but ultimately supported the action.
The ordinances provide a process for affected parties to seek limited relief from the prohibition, including the possibility of extending the amortization period under certain circumstances. The ban on new stops will take effect immediately, with the existing stop given until September 2025 to cease operations.
10 Responses
Why can’t Greyhound relocate to a different location in Fort Walton Beach. Fort Walton Beach had 2 locations. One on Beal Parkway in the plaza where Laundry Land ( formerally Soap Opera laundry) and the location off Ferry that’s now a restaurant ( formally Trailways)
I never understood why that closed. But there are business that have been shut down for a long time that can used as a location for a Greyhound station. One example is a abandoned coffee shop on Beal Parkway next to ExxonMobil down the street from Walmart. The only nearest station are Pensacola and Panama City. Crestview used to have one. Please reconsider some options. There is time.
Exactly. No Mall, No train service, now after 60 years no Bus service.
Find somewhere in Wright for the bus stop. There is plenty of convenient stores and it’s not in Ft. Walton Beach.
They want to make Fort Walton Beach Pseudo Upper Class. You notice no national restaurants have open in the City for a long time. The local business owners rent has risen and they are closing. No affordable housing. More Super gas stations. It’s all designed to widen the economic gap here. Depending on a steady military income is not wise. The military is having recruitment and retention problems.
No Mall, No train
We have no Mall, No train service, now after 60 years no Bus service? No good for Fort Walton Beach, (or what is left of the beach).
No Mall, no train service, now after 60 years no bus service. Not good for Fort Walton Beach, or what is left of the beach.
The city council has got it right.I wouldn’t be surprised if some cities bus people here to walk our streets and beg and tax our social services.
Overall it brought down the area.
The folks in Pensacola shut the buses down in their city months ago, the influx of vagrants is the issue. It has notably reduced their vagrancy numbers !