Route of the Week: Route 41

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 41 gets the featured Route of the Week treatment this week!

Route 41 operates between West Tampa Transfer Center and Netp@rk Transfer Center

The majority of Route 41 operates along Sligh Ave., between West Tampa Transfer Center and Netp@rk Transfer Center. The route operates Monday-Friday from 5:05 a.m. - 7:05 p.m.

Operating mostly east-west, Route 41 connects to 15 different routes without the need to visit a HART Transfer Center. 

Route 41 serves a number of big local employers on the western end of the route, including:

• St. Joseph's Hospital
• Florida Department of Health
• Raymond James Stadium 

Ask your employer if they participate in our Corporate Transit Program! Federal law entitles all U.S. employers to a completely tax-deductible business expense of up to $255 per employee per month toward the cost of using public transportation. For most employees this will mean a $95 monthly Express Pass or a $65 monthly Local Pass. Funds can also be allocated to vanpooling. Call 813-384-6434 to inquire about participating.

Hop off Route 41 at Sligh Ave. & N. Blvd. for Lowry Park Zoo

Animals lovers will love that Route 41 serves Lowry Park Zoo, one of the Southeast's most popular zoos! Lowry Park Zoo offers special camps during the summer for grades K-8 and teen workshops for ages 13-17. Hop off at Sligh Ave. and N. Blvd. to begin your animal adventure!

What better way to treat yourself after a day at the zoo, then a trip to Bo's Ice Cream? The ice cream shop has been family-owned for over 60 years, and is just a short walk from Route 41.

Those looking to grab a bite to eat, or indulge in a beverage, can do so safely with Route 41! A mix of hotspots from Seminole Heights' famous restaurant row are accessible from the route. Options include anything from traditional "Florida Cracker" cuisine at Fodder and Shine, to more modern American "Farm to Table" dishes from Rooster & The Till!

Over 126,000 trips were taken on Route 41 in FY2015.

From East Tampa, to West Tampa, HART Takes You There.

EVERY day is Earth Day at HART!

Earth Month, Earth Day, Earth Week, Earth Hour... days, weeks and hours devoted to Mother Earth. What's it really mean when Earth Month shares April with Cranberries and Gooseberries Month, Straw Hat Month and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Month? Designations that are great company... if you're a gooseberry growing, straw hat wearing, IBS sufferer.

The point is that while it is great that society has taken the time to designate a day in celebration of the Earth, we ask if that's enough? Is one hour, day, week, month or even year good enough to celebrate and create awareness for the protection of the environment?

At HART, EVERY day is Earth Day. We live it, we breathe it, we love it and we're not alone. Environmentalism and public transportation go way back as transit by nature (no pun intended) is green.

One bus can take up 50 cars off the road!

It's easy to see why! Did you know that just one 40-foot bus can take up to 50 gas-guzzling, carbon emissions-spewing cars off the road? How about that a two-car household can reduce their carbon emissions by 4800 pounds or 10% annually, just by switching their commute to public transportation?

Do you love heavy doses of carbon dioxide? Neither does the environment. Carbon dioxide contributes to smog in cities as well as some scientists believing that it contributes to the gradual warming of the Earth. Luckily, public transportation saves 37 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. That number is equivalent to emissions resulting from electricity generated for ALL of the households in D.C., New York City, Atlanta, Denver and Los Angeles... combined.

Looking to reduce your carbon footprint?

The great thing is that there are fairly easy ways to reduce your footprint. Check out this Carbon Savings Calculator to see how much you can reduce your carbon footprint by switching part or all your travel to public transportation.

HART Green Initiatives

At HART, we not only help others go green, but we like to practice what we preach. Over the years,

CNG buses reduce carbon monoxide by 90% over diesel

HART has focused on being more environmentally responsible with a number of green initiatives including: transitioning our fleet to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), becoming ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System (EMS) compliant (one of 14 agencies nationwide), solar panels on shelters, kickoff of employee recycling program, recyclable vehicle wash systems and a LEED-certified renovation of our Operations and Maintenance facility.

Want to do your part?

Businesses:

If you're looking to do your part as a business owner, Best Workplaces for Commuters has a top 10 list of ways to help green your employees' commute. The HART Corporate Transit Program may be an option. Federal law entitles all U.S. employers to a completely tax-deductible business expense of up to $255 per employee per month toward the cost of using public transportation.  Funds can also be allocated to vanpooling.

Individuals:

HART is a great way to start doing your part. Not only are you saving the environment, you're also saving money (up to $10,000 a year), reducing congestion and relieving stress.

If you're already riding HART, the next best thing to do is share how easy HART is with a friend. Go green and save some green too!