Go HART when you Pokémon GO around Town!

Pikachu captured by @RevokeMyManCard on Route 19!

A Weedle on Route 9. A Pikachu on Route 19. With over 75 million downloads worldwide, it's hard to avoid hearing about Pokemon Go.

If you're not exactly familiar, here is a quick overview of the game: Players "hunt" Pokémon (fictional creatures) with an interesting twist... communities such as Tampa, are the "hunting" grounds. The app uses GPS to track player's movements on the virtual screen and uses augmented reality to immerse players in the world of Pokémon!

One of the great benefits of this game is the increased physical activity for players as they search around town. This is where transit fits nicely into the Pokémon puzzle. Studies show that transit users get 3x more physical activity than non-users on average.

*Lightbulb moment*

Why not catch Pokémon on the walk to the bus stop? Or, while waiting for the bus at one of our Transit Centers? Marion Transit Center is a Pokéstop!

This way, you're saving time, money, and the environment, while you catch 'em all!

So you've decided to park the car and give transit a try. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Stay Alert: Always be aware of your surroundings and never walk in front of a HART bus or van, upon exiting the vehicle
• Hold on: Hold on to hand grips or seats while on board HART buses and vans. Hard to catch Bulbasaur on the floor!
• Be courteous: Please use headphones while playing the game on board, and while waiting for the bus

Catch Pokémon in the cool A/C!

INSIDER TIP: We've heard that The TECO Line Streetcar System is a GREAT way to catch Pokémon, while staying cool in the A/C! Tons of Pokéstops and gyms along the line running through Ybor City, the Channel District, and Downtown Tampa.

Share your Pokémon captures with us @goHART and @TampaStreetcar!

Route of the Week: Route 7

With a diverse service area roughly the size of Rhode Island, Hillsborough County provides a great mix of urban, suburban and rural destinations for our riders. Think about the destinations that you can see and experience with the HART transportation network!

Route 7 gets the Route of the Week treatment this week!

Route 7 operates between Citrus Park and Marion Transit Center

Route 7 operates between the Citrus Park Super Walmart and Marion Transit Center. Service is Monday - Sunday, with weekday service from 4:40 a.m. - 9:40 p.m. and weekends from 6:30 a.m. - 7:35 p.m.

Route 7 is fairly unique in that the route doesn't begin and end at a Transit or Transfer Center. The route actually ceases at Henderson Blvd. and Cedar Creek Blvd., located right near the Citrus Park Super Walmart.

Whether for work, school, or play, the Route 7 is your best bet!

Employment destinations include: One Buccaneer Place (Administrative home of The Tampa Bay Buccaneers), St. Joseph's Hospital, Tampa Housing Authority, and the University of Tampa.

Looking for leisure in your off time? Route 7 is there for you after work, or on your day off!

Tampa's "Great Lawn" Curtis Hixon is served by Route 7!

• AMC Theatres Veterans 24 features IMAX and first-run films in a multi-theater complex setting
• LaFleur's Gymnastics - Tampa provides gymnastics training and swim lessons for all ages
• One Buccaneer Place - Headquarters of The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This 145,000 sq.ft. facility features three, full-length practice fields, weight room etc. In August 2016, the Buccaneers will hold 11 Training Camp practices that will be open to the public.
• Curtis Hixon Park - Tampa's "Great Lawn" is home to some of Tampa's biggest and best events. Even without an event, the park is a great place to play Frisbee or have a picnic.

Need a lift to class? Route 7 serves a mix of high school and college campuses:

UT is served by Route 7 at Cass St. & N. Blvd.

• Leto High School - (Manhattan Ave. & Sligh Ave.)
• Blake High School - (Main St. & N. Blvd.)
• Tampa Preparatory High School - (N. Blvd. & Cypress St.)
• University of Tampa - (Cass St. & N. Blvd.)
• Keiser University - (Anderson Rd. & Waters Ave.)
• Argosy University - (Main St. & Howard Ave.)
• The Art Institute of Tampa - (MLK Blvd. & Himes Ave.)

Students attending the University of Tampa, Keiser University, Argosy University, and the Art Institute of Tampa receive a 25% discount on 31-day passes. Discounted price ($48.75) is only available when purchased directly from the institution.

From first-run flicks, to Curtis Hixon picnics, HART Takes You There.

HART is the First U.S. Transit Agency to Launch the Trip Planner Feature of OneBusAway!

With the July 25th release of a new dynamic trip planning feature, OneBusAway Tampa is now a one-stop shop for HART real-time travel information!

Customers will now be able to plan their trip and see how close their bus is in real-time, all via a single application!

Plan your HART trip in real-time!

HART is the first U. S. transit agency to launch the trip planner feature of OneBusAway and third in the nation to launch OneBusAway.  The service has shattered expectations with 208 million hits in a 12 month period.

How to use the OneBusAway Trip Planner

To use the new feature, riders must do the following:

1. Click the menu bar in the upper left-hand corner
2. Select the option to "Plan A Trip"
3. Type in the departing location (From:), the arriving location (To:), also the time and date. Then, your trip will be planned.

The OneBusAway Trip Planner will display 3 bus route options, with each option giving the next departure time closest to the intended time you wish to travel, along with the travel time.

What makes the Trip Planner... "dynamic"?

The trip planner will notify you via the app if the end time of your selected trip has changed by at least 2 minutes, or if your selected trip plan is no longer recommended.

Dynamic Trip Planner alerts you if your trip is no longer recommended

OneBusAway Tampa helps riders save time, effort, and stress and provides reassurance regarding the arrival time of their bus. The real-time service has shattered expectations with 208 million hits in a 12 month period.

Stay tuned, as HART continues to bring you more, with less!