People looking for a ride to destinations on Anna Maria Island are losing an option they had — at least for now.
The Monkey Bus announced Aug. 3 via Facebook that the service was temporarily shutting down.
The service consists of a small fleet of small buses providing fare-free transport across the island. The only charge is a request to tip the drivers.
The Monkey Bus’s Facebook post states that the service was shutting down due to a “battle” with insurance costs, “which have risen so high that we cannot continue to run until we restructure and come to a long-term agreement with a company that we can afford.”
Nevertheless, the post also expressed hope for the future of the Monkey Bus service.
“We are not going out of business and we are not leaving the community we love and call home,” it states. “We will keep you updated on progress, and hope to have this resolved quickly.”
People can learn more about the service at themonkeybusami.com.