Benefits · Transportation
How to apply for Sumter County Transit — Door-to-Door + The Villages/Leesburg Medical Shuttle
Sumter County Transit (SCT) — a Sumter County Public Works Department division
Who it's for
Sumter County Transit (SCT) is operated as a division of the county Public Works Department, funded through multiple sources including the Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (CTD), Mid-Florida Community Services, and Sumter County Board of County Commissioners. SCT provides door-to-door TD (Transportation Disadvantaged) rides for residents who, because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age, cannot transport themselves and depend on others for access to healthcare, employment, shopping, and other essential activities. Door-to-door service runs Monday through Friday; two shuttle routes operate Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Distinctively, SCT travels OUTSIDE of Sumter County to The Villages (in Lake and Sumter counties) and Leesburg (Lake County) for medical appointments — recognizing that many Sumter residents need access to The Villages medical complex (UF Health Spanish Plaines, AdventHealth) and Leesburg Regional Medical Center. The Villages itself is unique among modeled FL counties for its extensive internal golf-cart path network and Villages-operated transportation; SCT serves the rural Sumter and non-Villages-resident population. Apply online or call (352) 568-6683 between 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Monday-Friday; reservations should be made at least 3 days in advance.
Sumter County Transit eligibility is the broad Florida TD pathway: age 60+ OR physical/mental disability OR low-income status (any one of three pathways qualifies). Advance reservation at least 3 days before the trip is required for both door-to-door and shuttle service due to driver/vehicle availability. The 3-day advance booking is more friction than peer counties' next-day or same-day systems, so Sumter residents need to plan ahead. SCT travels to The Villages and Leesburg for medical appointments — important for accessing major healthcare facilities outside rural Sumter. NOT MODELED HERE: Internal Villages-operated transportation (golf cart paths + free Villages buses inside the development) is available only to Villages residents and operates independently of Sumter County Transit. Villages residents typically use the internal Villages network for in-development trips and SCT for outside-Villages travel.
What you'll need
- Proof of age 60+ OR disability OR low-income TD eligibility (Medicare card, Florida ID, physician note for disability, income documentation)
- Proof of Sumter County residency
- Completed Transportation Disadvantaged or Rural Eligibility application (online or by phone)
- Advance reservation at least 3 days before trip (phone 352-568-6683, M-F 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
Where to apply
Apply online: official application
By phone: 352-568-6683
Renewals
periodic re-registration; rides scheduled per trip with 3-day advance booking
Not sure if you qualify? Run a free check first.
Find my benefitsNot legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.