Mateo Baracaldo's ability to fully understand just how fortunate he is at the young age of 6, has garnered him (4) free tickets to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Disney World in Orlando, along with some free Disney swag!
HART held a contest throughout November asking those 16 and under a simple question - what are you thankful for? Mateo's essay was picked by HART CEO Philip Hale, out of a number of written entries received by HART and Radio Disney.
While the Disney tickets are great and the swag is cool, this is the season for giving. So another part of Mateo's prize, was the opportunity to pick a deserving family to win a free 32" LCD TV and a $100 grocery gift card, presumably to be used on a Holiday dinner.
Mateo chose Ms. Nidias Burgos, his former Pre-Kindergarten teacher in the Head Start program, which is designed to ensure that every student has an equal chance to succeed in kindergarten. Mateo wrote to us to tell us why he selected Ms. Burgos.
Mateo's and Ms. Burgos' families together with the gifts.
"I picked Ms. Burgos' family because she's very nice and helpful. She deserves it. Cause she bought my Dad a cake on his birthday and she's a hard worker and helps others. And I love her and she has a beautiful heart. And it's pay back time."
Now, Mateo and his family get to enjoy a magical day with the Mouse in Orlando and Ms. Burgos and her family get to enjoy a nice Holiday classic on their new 32" TV, following a nice dinner!
In life, a little cake goes a long way.
Keep an ear out for Mateo, because he will be on Radio Disney AM 1380's Kid's ConcernShow in the coming weeks to discuss his essay and the nominated family.
HART is open for business throughout the holiday weekend and residents are invited to "Go Green" on "Black Friday," while avoiding the stress of driving and parking.
On Black Friday, residents can take advantage of routes that connect to most shopping centers, including:
International Plaza: Route 15
University Mall: Routes 12, 45
Westfield Brandon: Routes 8, 37 and HARTFlex
Westfield Citrus Park: Route 39
Westshore Plaza: Routes 15, 30 and 45
Brandon/Northdale Flex will operate on Black Friday
In addition, Brandon and Northdale residents may take advantage of HARTFlex for curbside service by just making a two-hour advance reservation. These reservations may be made by calling 813-449-4555.
Schedule for Nov. 24, Thanksgiving Day
HART local bus routes and HARTPlus will operate a Sunday schedule.
The following services will not operate:
TECO Line Streetcar System
Commuter Express Routes
In-Town Trolley
HARTFlex
University Area Transit Center, Marion Transit Center, HART on Franklin and all other HART offices will be closed.
Schedule for Nov. 25, Black Friday
HART local bus routes; HARTFlex in Brandon and Northdale; and HARTPlus will operate a Saturday schedule. The TECO Line Streetcar System will operate 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.
The following services will not operate:
Commuter Express Routes
In-Town Trolley
HARTFlex in South County, South Tampa and Town 'N Country
University Area Transit Center and Marion Transit Center will be open. HART on Franklin and all other HART offices will be closed.
View the HART website for schedules, maps and fare information.
For more information, HART Customer Service will be open throughout the entire holiday weekend at 813-254-4278 or 813-626-9158 (TDD).
Congratulations to HART Transit Planner James Fogarty for being selected as part of the 2011 Class of Tampa Bay Business Journal's Up & Comers - 30 Under 30!
TBBJ received more than 600 nominations for this annual recognition and a panel of judges narrowed it down to a class of 48 deserving individuals, who demonstrated exceptional business accomplishments, community involvement and mentoring activities.
Mr. Fogarty has been instrumental in providing engineering analysis and support for several major planning efforts at HART -- including the Alternatives Analysis Study for light rail, planned regional park-and-ride facilities and a major update to this year's HART Transit Development Plan. He also continues to provide updates to community partners regarding on the HART capital investment program.
He is currently coordinating upgrades for the HART Yukon Transfer Center, serves on the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and is a judge for the local Future City Competition, which provides middle school students a creative opportunity to imagine, design and build cities of the future.
Mr. Fogarty started with HART in 2009, just a few years after receiving his bachelor's degree in engineering. He is now a certified engineering intern and in April, plans to take the final examination required to become a professional engineer.
Mr. Fogarty was formally recognized during the 2011 Up & Comers Awards Ceremony held on Nov. 10. High five, James!
A follow up on the HART Board recap in which there was discussion on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
The U.S. Department
of Transportation announced Thursday that HART is the recipient of a
$2.3 million grant to fund a CNG fueling
station and associated modifications to an existing HART maintenance
facility. This is the first step for HART towards transitioning vans and
buses from using diesel to CNG, which is cleaner and more efficient to
use in public transit.
"Natural gas offers
a cost-effective alternative to diesel fuel," said Philip Hale, HART
Chief Executive Officer. "Natural gas is available domestically and at
this time, costs approximately 20-25 percent less than diesel."
The preliminary project timeline includes design and construction through 2012, and an operational CNG fueling station in 2013.
According to the
U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Transit Administration
(FTA), HART is one of 46 innovative clean-fuel transit projects
nationwide that will share $112 million in funding from two FTA
programs: the Clean Fuels Grant Program and the TIGGER III (Transit
Investment in Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction) Grant Program.
To view a summary of other HART capital projects underway, visit HART at Work.
About CNG & Public Transit
Natural gas is a
clear, odorless and non-corrosive gaseous mixture of
hydro-carbons. Natural gas vehicles show an average reduction
in ozone-forming emissions of 80 percent compared to gasoline vehicles,
according to a report from the California Energy Commission. Many
transit agencies nationwide are transitioning to CNG vehicles, including
DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit), which plans over the next three years
to deploy more than 650 new CNG buses and paratransit vehicles as
replacements for its current fleet of buses that began service in 1998.
In addition, LA Metro (Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority) retired its last diesel bus in January 2011.
Every now and then, Jason Eames, one of our HART Operators will give insight From the Driver's Seat, on a number of things pertaining to HART.
HART services are reviewed for efficiency three times a year
If you’ve been a public transit user for any length of time, you no doubt have noticed that every few months there are modifications to bus routes and schedules you’ve become accustomed to. These modifications may result in other changes -- a different person behind the wheel or perhaps your bus stop was relocated.
I’m pretty certain you’ve asked yourself, “Why does this happen?” This time period is what is known as a markup. Bus schedule and route modifications brought on by a markup may seem a bit confusing as you at first, but rest assured it’s all done in the name of improving the overall bus system. And, believe it or not, bus drivers also have a little getting used to.
Many of you have grown accustomed to a familiar face every week or every day, and now that face may change. And I can tell you that from the driver’s seat, I become friends with many of my “regulars.” But please know the operator that will be taking over for the next few months is just as reliable and helpful. After the operators have made their selections for their new routes they have a two week time period that they use to familiarize themselves with routes that are new to them and to old routes they may not have driven in a while.
The purpose of these markups are to implement patron and operator suggestions to make the existing service better and to better meet the needs of you, the patron. No matter what city you have lived in or may live in in the future these markups happen at least three times in a year’s time.
The impact that a markup has on an operator is a refreshing one in my opinion. At most jobs that you might work, you tend to do the same thing day in and out for your entire tenure. Bus operators on the other hand, get to change their daily jobs every four months. While the actual job of driving the bus and serving the passengers does not change, the scenery and the roads we see each day do.. While this may sound minor, it can have a big impact on an operator. There are some operators that do grow attached to the people they serve and getting used to not seeing those same faces can be tough on them. Then you have your operators that choose to be an extra board operator. These drivers come in every day not knowing which route(s) they will be driving that day and that means they have to know each route before they wake up that morning.
Schedule books are available at HART sales outlets
Make sure to pick up a summary of the route and schedule changes distributed on all buses a few weeks before changes take effect. Updated Route Schedule Books will also be available for purchase for $2 – I personally recommend getting one of these! When a new markup begins and you aren’t 100% sure if your normal commute has changed you can always the HART Trip Planner, an awesome tool powered by Google. You can plan your entire commute with easy access on the go. You can also use this tool on your smart phone or tablet when you are in transit to a new destination. And, of course, when in doubt, call HART Customer Service, open seven days a week at (813) 254-4278.
I hope this better explains what a markup is. Say hi to your new operator!
The Major Projects & Legislative Committee met Monday and received a summary of HART capital projects under development, design and construction. View HART at Work, which provides details for each project that impacts current and future public transit facilities, including the Yukon Park-n-Ride, MetroRapid North-South and East-West, Transit Signal Priority, new park-n-ride facilities in Brandon and in Northeast Hillsborough County, and the Basic Transit Infrastructure Program. It also includes a map that demonstrates the geographical range these projects have across Hillsborough County. You could say public transit improvements are coming to a zip code near you!
No need to mention the improvements underway at the 21st Avenue Facility -- most employees are working through this major renovation project. Thank you for your patience! Construction is scheduled through Fall 2012.
The Major Projects & Legislative Committee also held a discussion about the importance of securing federal or state funding to incrementally implement the use of CNG at HART.
"Compressed Natural Gas is one of the most effective fuel technologies for public transit," said HART Chief Executive Officer Philip Hale, adding that especially in Florida's hot weather, CNG-fueled vehicles operate more efficiently than diesel-hybrid vehicles. The battery power of a diesel-hybrid bus is not enough to run the ongoing air conditioning system needed for a bus that operates under Florida's extended warm and humid weather conditions.
Natural gas is colorless, shapeless, and odorless in its pure form. It is abundant in the United States, and when burned it gives off a great deal of energy and few emissions. Unlike other fossil fuels, natural gas is clean burning and emits lower levels of potentially harmful byproducts into the air. Most natural gas vehicles operate using compressed natural gas (CNG).
HART is working with the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization to undertake project development work identifying the specific requirements to support CNG vehicles at the HART maintenance facility. Project development is required to effectively compete for federal and state monies that would fund such a project.
High Five Friday is very special today as we honor members of the HART family that have served their country.
HART has more than 100 employees who are veterans or family members of veterans, each with a special story of bravery and sacrifice. But this year's Veterans Day story goes to Angel Ortiz, who is receiving a warm welcome home from his HART family.
"It feels great to be back," Ortiz said during a recent interview with him. "The welcome they gave me here ... I feel like I never left."
Mr. Ortiz is a HART Mechanic A, as well as a Navy Reservist. He returned to HART in October after a three-year deployment to El Salvador.
"Two years, eleven months and two weeks," he said. He recalls the time frames of each deployment with precision.
He's been with HART for six years, but deployed to Bahrain just a few months after he started. After a year, came back to HART for about six months, and deployed once again to El Salvador for what was supposed to be a one-year assignment.
He also had a four-year deployment to Spain prior to coming to HART. He has been in the Navy Reserves since 1994.
His most recent experience with the military has been in the areas of arms and security, and prior to that he worked in regulating drug trafficking.
Welcome Home, Angel Ortiz!
"I always wanted to be in the armed forces. I wanted to serve my country," Ortiz said. He lives in West Tampa with his wife of seven years. He said he looks forward to taking time to spend time with his family, especially his kids.
In addition, he enjoys softball and said he is looking forward to joining the HART softball team!
As a Mechanic A he works on all of the HART vehicles - cars, vans and buses - performing general maintenance.
"As soon as I got back, Mr. Hauck got me registered for classes, and the first week I was here I was taking classes," he said. Mr. Ortiz now is just four classes away from becoming a Master Mechanic.
And just one day away from Veterans Day, a day to honor the unselfish service by people like Mr. Ortiz, as well as the millions of American veterans and their families. Happy Veterans Day, and high fives all around!
Monday's meeting kicked off with recognition of HART employees: Harold Ward and James Chapman, each who received first runner up for the Florida Public Transportation Association's Mechanic and Driver of the Year, respectively.
Left-right: HART Mechanic Harold Ward, HART CEO Philip Hale
Mr. Ward is a master mechanic who has been with HART since 1981. He always shows a positive, can-do attitude and his calm demeanor is an integral part of the success of HART Fleet Maintenance. One of this agency's goals has been to reduce bus failures and increase the mean distance between failures. During the past two years, Harold has lead a team of mechanics to reduce monthly unit failures by 6 percent and increase the monthly mean distance by 1700 miles. Harold is an outstanding technician who leads by example and promotes teamwork.
HART Operator James Chapman and his wife
Mr. Chapman has been a bus operator with HART since 1984. He is an exemplary employee and leader among his peers. He has been named bus operator of the month five times throughout his career, and this year was inducted into the 2 million mile club for driving without a preventable accident for the past 27 years. He has been training operators since 1986 for on-the-job training and route familiarization. These are just a few of the initiatives he's taken on and accomplished at HART!
Yukon Transfer Center build out model
The HART Board also approved starting construction for an upgrade at Yukon Transfer Center, which serves about 800 customers each weekday and bus routes 1, 9, 14, 16 and 39. The upgrades will provide additional bays to accommodate increased demand and improve visibility. The total amount of the project is $600,000, paid for by state grants and HART funds. Construction is scheduled to begin before the year's end.
The HART Legislative Policy Statement for the 2012 Florida Legislative Session was adopted by the HART Board and includes monitoring legislation that relates to the consolidation of HART and PSTA, as well as working towards maintaining current funding levels for transit.
Lastly, Katharine Eagan, HART Chief Operating Officer, presented the HART Board with a summary of bus ridership in 2011, highlighting significant gains in holiday and Sunday service. View 2011 HART Ridership At-A-Glance
Next Meeting: HART Major Projects & Legislative Committee meeting is scheduled Monday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m. at the HART Ybor Office.
Fall is in the air, with plenty of reasons to be outside to enjoy it. Here is just a few events to really take advantage of the beautiful weather.
MacDill Airforce Base Airfest 2011 Saturday, Nov. 5 and Sunday, Nov. 6. 9:00 a.m.
If you love intense aerial maneuvers, along with getting in the cockpit of dozens of new and classic aircrafts (safely on the ground), this event is for you! The U.S. Air Force hosts the free event, but expect other branches of the armed services to get in on the flight action. More than 50,000 are expected to attend the event. If you're planning on busing it, use routes 19 and 36 to Britton Plaza. HART will detour route 36 from Britton Plaza to the base with continuous bus service.
Conga Caliente
Saturday, Nov. 5 - 11:00 a.m.
Florida's 2nd largest Hispanic family festival is this Saturday! The annual celebration of Hispanic culture and arts features
performances by national acts, ethnic food, a health village, cigars,
domino games, kids activities, an art village, educational displays and a
beer garden for those 21+. The event is free.
Al Lopez Park 4810 N Himes Ave., Tampa FL 33614
HART serves Al Lopez park via Routes 7, 32, 36, and 45.
If you're a regular reader of the blog, or our social media outlets, you're probably already familiar with the Bicycle Bash. The Bicycle Bash gives the Tampa Bay's bicycle community a chance to come together and promote bicycling as a healthy lifestyle, effective transportation and asset to the region.
The 5th Annual Bicycle Bash will feature:
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn leading a bike ride called the Buckhorn Bash Ride around the Flatwoods 7-mile loop at 11:15 AM.
The SWFBUDDY Awards given to local Tampa Bay residents and officials who have worked to make the area a more bicycle-friendly community.
A Swap Meet where people can buy used bike gear; food provided by the famed Taco Bus Food Truck; and music.
Guest announcers Skip Mahaffey and Brendan McLaughlin of Channel 28 Action News
Free bike gear giveaway drawings; an artist doing creating live bicycle painting;
SWFBUD lawyers will be on hand to offer free legal advice regarding bicycle issues.
Tampa BayCycle will provide a free BikeSmart bike education class and Tampa Bay's bicycle clubs will be on hand to talk about bike rides throughout the region.
HART and the Hillsborough MPO will also discuss transportation plans and initiatives.
HART will have a booth at the event, giving out HART bike flashers as well as putting on a demonstration of new ways HART plans to boost bicycle travel via transit!
We also have events for those that want to escape the ... "brisk" low temperatures, in favor of a more moderated environment.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Friday, Nov. 4 - 7:30 p.m.
Even though they're playing on ice... don't expect the blustery conditions normally associated with an ice rink. Instead expect REAL lightning bolts, plus seats, a brand new party deck and the world's most powerful synthetic pipe organ! The Bolts are riding a win streak heading into the game against a team just a couple years removed from hoisting the Stanley Cup.
St. Pete Times Forum 401 Channelside Drive, Tampa FL 33602
The TECO Line Streetcar drops off at the St. Pete Times Forum - HSBC Station. Don't
worry about getting stranded, the streetcar has your back until 2 a.m.
on Fridays and Saturdays.
2nd Annual Ybor Jazz Festival
Nov. 1 - Nov. 6
Looking for an extended weekend? Hosted by Hillsborough Community College (HCC), this five-day inaugural event features local, national and genre favorites in daytime and evening concerts.
Attend every day or pick and choose days. Featuring the Helios Jazz Orchestra, with Anthony Castellano Jr., Liz Hollister, Denise Moore, Sasha Tuck and Belinda Womack.
The event is $15 for a day pass and $5 for students and seniors. It's free if your HCC faculty or a student with ID.
November 4 - 6 p.m. Bryan Shuler and Dagari
November 5 - 6 p.m. Thick as Thieves
November 5 - 8 p.m. New Groove City
November 6 - 3 p.m. New Orleans Jazz, Funk, Gospel
Hillsborough Community College Ybor Campus Performing Arts Building 1505 E Palm Ave., Tampa FL 33675
The HCC Ybor Campus is only a block or two away from the Cadrecha Station of the TECO Line Streetcar System and is also accessible via HART routes 5, 12, and 18.
Kevin Nealon
Friday, Nov. 4 - Nov. 5
He wants to "Pump... you up! Known for his dry wit, this comedian is mostly remembered for his time on Saturday Night Live. He has appeared in a number of Adam Sandler's films and has recently found success on cable TV.
Here is an example of one of his more iconic characters on SNL.
Shows at the Improv are 21 and up, except the Friday 10:30 p.m. show, which is 18 and up.
Bikes on buses just got a whole new meaning! Customers may now bring their folded bicycles on HART buses and vans.
HART will host a demonstration of new ways to boost bicycle travel via transit during the popular 2011 Bicyle Bash on Sunday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Hillsborough County Flatwoods Park, 14302 Morris Bridge Road in Thonotosassa. Those who sign up for HART News receive a FREE bicycle flasher!
Folded bikes on buses must:
Have 20-inch wheels or smaller; larger bicycles should be loaded on the bike rack.
Be folded and bagged before boarding the bus.
Be folded underneath the seat or in front of the customer so it does not take up extra seats or block the aisle.
Bike with larger wheels should continue using the bike rack.
Users of bicycles with larger wheels should continue using the bicycle rack. Each HART bus and van accommodates two bicycles. Only single-seat, two-wheel bicycles are permitted on buses; no tandems or three wheelers. Motor-powered vehicles are not permitted on the bus or on bicycle racks. If the rack is full, patrons should be prepared to choose a location to lock up their bicycle, or wait for the next bus serving that route.
Word to the wise! Bicyclists should attach an identification number to their bicycles -- whether it's the manufacturer's serial number, a license plate or a sturdy decal -- and keep a copy of this number with them. This will greatly facilitate the process of claiming lost bicycles. In addition, the Tampa Police Department encourages bicyclists to register their bicycles with its Bicycle Registration Theft Protection Program to assist in recovering stolen bikes.
Thinking about expanding your bicycle travel by getting on board with HART? Visit www.goHART.org or call 813-254-4278 (HART) for help with planning your trip!
Congratulations to HART Transit Planner James Fogarty for being selected as part of the 2011 Class of Tampa Bay Business Journal's Up & Comers - 30 Under 30!
TBBJ received more than 600 nominations for this annual recognition and a panel of judges narrowed it down to a class of 48 deserving individuals, who demonstrated exceptional business accomplishments, community involvement and mentoring activities.
Mr. Fogarty has been instrumental in providing engineering analysis and support for several major planning efforts at HART -- including the Alternatives Analysis Study for light rail, planned regional park-and-ride facilities and a major update to this year's HART Transit Development Plan. He also continues to provide updates to community partners regarding on the HART capital investment program.
He is currently coordinating upgrades for the HART Yukon Transfer Center, serves on the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and is a judge for the local Future City Competition, which provides middle school students a creative opportunity to imagine, design and build cities of the future.
Mr. Fogarty started with HART in 2009, just a few years after receiving his bachelor's degree in engineering. He is now a certified engineering intern and in April, plans to take the final examination required to become a professional engineer.
Mr. Fogarty will formally be recognized during the 2011 Up & Comers Awards Ceremony scheduled Nov. 10. High five!
