Route of the Week: MetroRapid

MetroRapid N-S is $2.00 one-way; $4.00 all-day

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 blog goes GREEN this week, as MetroRapid North-South is our featured Route of the Week!

Launched in 2013, MetroRapid was the first public transit service of its kind in Florida. The service features fewer stops, high frequency, and advanced technology, such as Transit Signal Priority, to help travelers get to their destinations quickly and conveniently. MetroRapid also features new, modern stations with off-board vending and bike racks.

MetroRapid operates every 15 minutes between Marion Transit Center and University Area Transit Center, with service every 30 minutes out to the Hidden River Regional Park-n-Ride. Riders can catch the lime green service Monday-Friday from 5:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

One of the best parts about the service? It is priced the SAME as local fixed-route service - $2.00 one-way; $4.00 for an all-day pass!

USF Riverfront Park houses a ropes course

University of South Florida (USF) students will LOVE that MetroRapid is included in the HART U-Pass program, where USF students ride FREE with their valid student ID! MetroRapid serves the Tampa campus with 4 stations along Fletcher Ave. The Claw at USF and Lettuce Lake Park are served by these stops as well. MetroRapid North-South also provides a valuable connection to the USF Riverfront Park, where Students and Alumni can kayak, play disc golf, etc.

Hungry from the Ropes Course and disc golf? MetroRapid serves Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe, The Mermaid Tavern, and two local landmarks, in the original Taco Bus, and Three Coins Diner. Comfort food, traditional Mexican, and more, just a short ride away.

Work in Hidden River/Telecom Park area? MetroRapid serves both corporate centers with 9 stops, including our Hidden River Regional Park-n-Ride. The Park-n-Ride lot provides FREE parking for Pasco County/New Tampa (among others) commuters heading to work in Downtown Tampa. MetroRapid provides a roughly 15% travel-times savings along the corridor.

Interesting in commuting to Downtown via MetroRapid? 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. Call 813-384-6434 to inquire about participating.

From kayaking, to studying, HART Takes You There.

MetroRapid N-S operates between Marion Transit Center and Hidden River Regional Park-n-Ride

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.

Route of the Week: Route 32

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 take a trip on the Route 32! The route operates primarily along M.L. King Jr. Blvd., between West Tampa Transfer Center and Netp@rk Transfer Center. Weekday service operates from 4:35 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. and Weekend service from 7:05 a.m. - 10:05 p.m.

Route 32 is currently averaging over 40,000 monthly trips, which is currently in the top tier of HART routes!

Those interested in Route 32 as a commuting option will be happy to know that the Route 32 serves a number of employers, including:

Netp@rk Tampa Bay Office Complex is served by Route 32!

• Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
• Netp@rk Tampa Bay (School Board of Hillsborough County, Humana Medical Plan, Inc., Baycare Health System, Inc., etc.)
• Citigroup Technology
• Pepin Distributors
• Convergys
• Coca-Cola Enterprises
• Florida Hospital - Tampa
• St. Joseph's Hospital
• Moffitt Cancer Center
• Shriner's Hospital for Children
• James A. Haley VA Hospital
• MasTec Energy Training Center

Interested in less work, and more play? Route 32 also has you covered!

Hop off at Orient Rd./Draper Pl. for the Seminole Hard Rock!

• Brew Bus Terminal and Brewery
• Southern Brewing and Winemaking
• Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
• Tampa Bay Grand Prix
• The Claw at USF
• AMF University Lanes
• Florida State Fairgrounds
• Lettuce Lake Regional Park
• NFL Yet Center (Jackson Heights Center)
• Elsawy Tennis Center
• Temple Park Recreation Center
• Rotary Riverfront Park 

Whether for work, or leisure, HART Takes You There.

HART Achieves Prestigious Environmental & Sustainability Certification!

HART is 1 of 13 transit agencies in US to be ISO 14001 certified

HART recently received an official ISO 14001 Certification for its Environmental Sustainability and Management System (ESMS). Audit firm, DQS Inc., has certified HART as one of only 13 transit agencies in the country and the only transit system in Florida to achieve International Organization for Standardization's (ISO) 14001 Standard.

Sounds good, right? But, what does it mean?

Jeff Seward, HART Chief Financial Officer explains.

"Developing an ISO 14001 certified Environmental and Sustainability Management System (ESMS) program provides assurance to our community, stakeholders, and employees that our operations and services are environmentally friendly. Now that we're certified, the ESMS also provides a framework for us to continuously take steps to reduce pollution and continually improve our environmental footprint on the Tampa Bay region."

HART began work to achieve this certification in 2013 when it was accepted to the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) ISO 14001 EMS Institute at Virginia Tech University. A two-year program, the academy is designed to help transit agencies develop and implement an ESMS, using the ISO 14001 Standard. ISO is an independent, non-governmental organization that brings together experts to share knowledge and develop standards that provide solutions to global challenges such as environmental management.

Our ESMS provides improved internal controls

These management tools enable an organization to control the environmental impact of its activities and represent a structured approach to setting environmental objectives and targets. Fulfilling the requirements of the standard demands objective evidence which can be audited to demonstrate that the environmental management system is operating effectively in conformance with the standard. Benefits include higher conformance with legislative and regulatory requirements, improved efficiency, minimized risk of regulatory and environmental fines, reductions in waste and consumption of resources, and better internal controls.

The FTA has sponsored four ESMS academies, each with a class of 10 transit agencies. Of those, 13 have gone on to become ISO 14001 certified and HART is the only one in Florida, placing it in the upper echelon of transit agencies that have made a commitment to the environment.

In terms of ridership, the other thirteen transit systems are diverse. Several transit agencies are close to our size; Foothill Transit in California provided more than 14 million rides in 2015. Sound Transit in Seattle is over twice our size and provides 28 million rides a year; Lane Transit District (LTD) in Oregon provides an average of 11 million rides a year. Another peer with the certification is the nation's third largest transit provider, Los Angeles Metro, which provided 453 million boardings in 2015. Agencies of all sizes are making the commitment. Pursuing this level of environmental performance makes for a safer, cleaner environment.

Route of the Week: Route 14

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 shine the spotlight on Route 14! Operating between Marion Transit Center and Yukon Transfer Center, Route 14 provides Weekday service from 5:05 a.m. - 8:25 p.m. and Saturday service from 6:35 a.m. - 8:50 p.m.

 Route 14 serves a great mix of residential, educational, entertainment, and employment centers.

Accusoft is just one of the major employers served by Route 14

Commuters may be interested that Route 14 serves a host of employers including: Florida Department of Children & Families, Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance, Accusoft, St. Joseph's Hospital, WEDU PBS, and The University of Tampa.

Those looking to grab a bite to eat, or enjoy some family fun, may be interested in stops at The Straz Center, Tampa Museum of Art, Glazer Children's Museum, El Chuzo BBQ, Gino's Restaurant & Bar, La Pequena Colombia,  Pin Chasers, United Skates of America, and more! As you can see, a number of Tampa's cultural destinations are served by Route 14.

HART Summer Blast Pass is back and only $25!

We can't forget about students. Route 14 serves students from middle and high school (Adams Middle School, Chamberlain High School, Blake High School, Tampa Preparatory High School), all the way through college (The University of Tampa, Brewster Technical College). Better yet, ages 5-18 can purchase a HART Summer Blast Pass for only $25, and receive unlimited rides until August 31!

UT and Brewster students receive 25% off on a 31-day pass from their respective institutions.

From Brewster to Broadway, HART Takes You There.

Take HART to Summer Camp Fun!

Schools are out, the days are long, and the weather is hot! It must be Summer Camp season.

Camps are a great way for children to socialize

From arts and crafts, to water sports, Hillsborough County, City of Tampa and Temple Terrace summer camps provide a variety of entertainment to keep children active throughout the summer!

Summer camps are a great way for children to learn life skills such as, teamwork, resilience, and decision making.

County and City camps are open to youth, with camps segmented by age group. Specialty "themed" camps providing a program revolving around a specific category (i.e. sports) are available.

So, now that you have the camp picked out, what about transportation? That's where we come in!

HART is a great way to chauffeur your child to summer fun! HART serves the majority of camp facilities. Simply use the HART Trip Planner to see if a route serves your child's camp.

So you have a location and a route in mind. What next?

There are a couple ways to get acquainted with the HART system!

In the How to Ride HART video below, we hop on board with a few Jefferson High School students. The video provides an overview from planning your trip, using OneBusAway Tampa for real-time HART information, finding your bus stop, Bikes on Buses program, and more.

HART also provides a Travel Training program. We understand how intimidating using HART for the first time can be. That's why we're here to help! A HART transit professional will provide step-by-step instructions on how use the Transit Guide, reading schedules, etc. As an added bonus, the first trip with the Travel Trainer is FREE. Call 813-384-6307 to schedule a Travel Training. Sessions are available in English and Spanish.

You are all set!

 

For only $25, Hillsborough County Youth (ages 5-18) receive unlimited rides on HART until August 31 with the HART Summer Blast Pass. That's almost 3 months of rides for less than the cost of a 31-day pass!

From summer jobs, to summer camps, HART Takes You There.

Visit www.goHART.org for more information on HART.