Route of the Week: HARTFlex South County

HARTFlex South County provides door-to-door van service!

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!

The spotlight is on South County this week, as HARTFlex South County is the Route of the Week!

Launched in April 2010, HARTFlex South County started as a pilot project (along with the Brandon area) testing demand for door-to-door van service.

Quick refresher on HARTFlex service. HARTFlex vans operate along a fixed route (like traditional bus service). However, the service will also "flex" from the fixed route within the designated zone. Patrons wanting to be picked up or dropped off outside the designated route can make an advanced reservation. HARTFlex reservations may be made by calling 813-254-4278 anywhere from 2 hours, to 3 days in advance of your trip. Fares are $1.00 per trip, or $2.00 for an all-day HARTFlex pass.

HARTFlex South County operates Monday-Friday. First trip leaves Hillsborough Community College (HCC) SouthShore at 6:05 a.m. First trip leaves La Estancia Apartments at 6:35 a.m. Last trip departs HCC at 7:05 p.m. and the last trip departs La Estancia Apartments at 7:35 p.m. The service operates every 60 minutes.

South County operates between HCC SouthShore and La Estancia Apts.

HARTFlex South County Destinations:

• Sun City Center
• HCC SouthShore
• South Bay Hospital
• King's Point
• Amazon Warehouse
• SouthShore Corporate Park 
• Hillsborough County Tax Collector
• Lennard High School
• Freedom Plaza Community Center

Extended Streetcar Service for Weeknight Amalie Arena Events!

The Streetcar conveniently drops off behind Amalie Arena

Ever make the mistake of driving into Amalie Arena traffic? Honking cars and a scramble for parking is to be expected when some of the biggest names in entertainment come to town.

However, it doesn't have to be that way.

Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. and HART have decided to extend TECO Line Streetcar System service until midnight during weeknight/Sunday events at Amalie Arena.

List of upcoming Amalie Arena events!

Mon-Thursday & Sunday:

Leave Downtown Tampa – Whiting Station
11:00 PM, 11:20 PM, 11:40 PM, 12:00 AM

Leave Ybor City – Centennial Park Station
10:53 PM, 11:13 PM, 11:33 PM

With over 20,000 fans expected at these events, the TECO Line Streetcar System offers a low cost and convenient way to avoid all the event traffic in downtown. Park in any of the Ybor City garages and ride the streetcar, which drops off right behind Amalie Arena.

Coming from the West?

Park in the Fort Brooke Garage located on Franklin Street and Whiting Street. Whiting Station is directly across the street from the garage.

Not attending the event?  Anyone can take advantage of this later service to get around Downtown Tampa, the Channel District and Ybor City!

Know before you go:

• The streetcar is FREE to ride!
• Streetcar service will operate until midnight
• A map of the TECO Line Streetcar System can be found here.
• Streetcar service is also extended until midnight during Sunday-Thursday Tampa Bay Lightning home games.

More information can be found at www.TECOlinestreetcar.org.

Amalie Arena event schedule and ticket information can be found here.

MTC Recycling Program Kicks Off Sept. 29!

Recycling kicks off at Marion Transit Center on Sept. 26!

HART is happy to announce that we are kicking off a recycling pilot program at Marion Transit Center on September 29th!

Every three months, Americans throw enough aluminum in the landfills to build our nation's entire commercial air fleet. THREE months.

That's a lot of waste!

A large portion of the waste streams produced by HART operations come from the patrons who use our network of vehicles and facilities. You can imagine just how substantial that amount of potential waste is with the HART system seeing upwards of 50,000+ trips taken daily.

HART takes our environmental stewardship role serious. HART is 1 of only 13 transit agencies in the country (and the only in Florida) to be ISO 14001-certified in environmental management.

Fortunately, our riders appear willing to do their part. A recent survey of Marion Transit Center commuters shows that 73% of riders currently practice recycling.

This is where our riders come in. The success of this initiative will directly depend on the participation of our patrons.

HART patrons will be helping to preserve the natural environment by correctly placing recyclable items in our collection bins. Signs located near the recycling bins will clearly identify prohibited and approved items.

Join us for kickoff!

Pledge to Learn, Act, & Share for a chance at 1-day/31-day farecard!

HART staff will be out at Marion Transit Center on Thursday, September 29, from 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. with Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Inc. joining us in the afternoon from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Drop by the HART tent, as we will be raffling off both 1-day and 31-day bus passes for those who take a pledge to support the HART recycling initiative. Other giveaways and information on how to help "Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful" will be available as well.

Follow HART & Recycle! Visit goHART.org for more information on the HART Environmental and Sustainability Management System.

Route of the Week: Route 45

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!

This week, we feature Route 45 as our Route of the Week!

Route 45 operates between Westshore and the USF area!

Route 45 operates between the Westshore Plaza Transfer Center and University Area Transit Center (UATC) near the University of South Florida. The route operates Weekdays from 4:30 a.m. - 9:10 p.m., and Weekends from 6:40 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.

The Route 45 serves 3 major areas:

Westshore - The Route 45 southern terminus is at the Westshore Transfer Center. Connect to Route 15, 30, and HARTFlex South Tampa.

Whether in the mood to shop, or to grab a bite to eat, Westshore Plaza has you covered! Little Greek Fresh Grill, Besito Mexican Restaurant, Mitchell's Fish Market, and the Cheesecake Factory are just some of the food options that Westshore Plaza offers.

Amscot Corporate Headquarters and Jefferson High School are two more destinations in the Westshore area!

Stadium - Home to Raymond James Stadium and the Bucs, the area also houses a number of Route of the Week-worthy destinations.

Be responsible! Take Route 45 to Cigar City Brewing.

Cigar City Brewing Company (CCB) is widely seen as one of the best breweries in the country! From citrusy IPAs to hefty stouts, CCB pours the best brews in the Bay. Sign up for a tour to see how your suds go from mash to mouth! Be responsible and take Route 45 - don't drink and drive.

From HomeGoods, to Whole Foods, and Target to Home Depot, Walter's Crossing Shopping Center has all of your home needs covered. Sports fans will appreciate the launch of Duffy's Sports Grill in the center in May 2016!

University -The northern terminus of Route 45, UATC provides connection to 11 different HART routes, along with the USF Bull Runner. USF students will appreciate service to...

Studio Movie Grill is located within University Mall.

Studio Movie Grill (SMG) combines first-run films, with in-theater dining and a full-service bar. On Tuesdays, SMG features $5 flicks, to pair with $5 food and drink options. SMG is located within University Mall.

University Mall features over 165 stores and 1.3 million sq. ft. of retail space. Pick up Route(s) 45 and 12 on the west end of the mall, near Studio Movie Grill.

Veterans can access James A. Haley VA Hospital near the University Area Transit Center.

Other Route 45 destinations:

• Lowry Park Zoo
• Chamberlain High School
• St. Joseph's Hospital
• Accusoft
• Tampa Catholic High School
• Nicola's Donut Shop
• Al Lopez Park

From donuts to HomeGoods, HART Takes You There.

Streetcar Morning Service Kicked off September 26th!

You can now ride into work on the TECO Line Streetcar System!

The TECO Line Streetcar began operating at 7 a.m. for commuters in Downtown Tampa, the Channel District, and historic Ybor City on September 26th!

The TECO Line Streetcar System operating hours look like this:

Monday - Thursday:

• 7 AM (6:44AM from Cadrecha Plaza to Whiting Station) to 12 noon, every 30 minutes
• 12 noon to 10 PM, every 20 minutes

 Friday and Saturday:

• Friday only - 7 AM (6:44AM from Cadrecha Plaza to Whiting Station) to 11 AM, every 30 minutes
• Friday and Saturday - 11 AM to midnight, every 20 minutes
• Friday and Saturday - Midnight to 2 AM, every 30 minutes

 Sunday:

• 12 noon to 8 PM, every 20 minutes

Click here for specific schedule information.

The morning service is a 6-month pilot to gauge demand for morning service hours along the streetcar line. Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. and HART will review the ridership, costs, etc. following the end of the pilot on March 24, 2017.

Take a streetcar ride for only $1.25 with the 20-ride pass!

Pair with a 20-Ride Pass!

Those living or working along the Streetcar line are eligible for a special 20-ride pass! The pass provides 20-rides for only $25 - a savings of 50%, or $1.25 a ride! Click here for list of 20-ride sales outlets.