Free rides for middle and high school students in March!
Are your kids gearing up for Spring Break? More importantly,
are YOU prepared? Cold sweats, nightmares, oh the places
you’ll take them (on your dime): movies, malls, concerts, theme parks.
If only there was a cheap, efficient way to get them around town
without a car, and more importantly, YOU.
There is!
Middle and high school students ride FREE on all
HART local, MetroRapid, and Flex Services throughout March during the HART Stay-cation promotion! All your
kids have to do is show their student ID and they’re jetting around town
for FREE! Here is just a small list of the Tampa attractions that HART serves:
Busch Gardens – Routes 5, 18, 39
Adventure Island – Route 5
Florida Aquarium – Routes 8, 9, 97
Museum of Science and Industry – Route 6
GameTime – Routes 5, 8, 9, 12
Westfield Citrus Park – Route 39
Westshore Plaza – Routes 15, 30, 45
University Mall – Routes 12, 45
Channelside Bay Plaza – Route 8
Centro Ybor – Routes 8, 9,12
Tampa Museum of Art – Routes 7,10,14, In-Towner
We
know you love your kids, but we also know that you love your free time
too. Gain your independence, give them a little, and go HART!
For more information on HART routes, maps, schedules and a Trip Planner, visit www.goHART.org.
The Streetcar makes an intimate and historic venue!
Recently engaged and looking for a historic and intimate venue to get married to your significant other? Better yet, at no cost?
The TECO Line Streetcar System wants to make a couple's dreams come true!
Have a great love story to share? We want to hear it! Share your story with the TECO Line Streetcar System Facebook page and you could be chosen to receive a FREE* streetcar charter and party/bar setup on us!
Love stories must be submitted by February 28, 2017 to be considered. *Streetcar charter date, length, itinerary, etc. will be determined after meeting with the selected couple. Expenses such as an officiant, decorations, etc. are the responsibility of the selected couple.
The historic TECO Line Streetcar System has been lucky enough to be a part of a number of couple's big days. Serving wedding reception venues such as the Florida Aquarium, The Ritz Ybor, The Vault, and more, the TECO Line Streetcar System is also perfect for wedding reception transportation, as well as, wedding party photos.
Those interested in streetcar charters can visit the Group Travel page on the TECO Line Streetcar website.
Voice of the Customer Surveys have taken place since 2015.
HARTis touting a huge jump in its score on a customer
satisfaction survey -- an increase of 128% since August 2015. These numbers were captured as part of the
agency's fourth wave of Voice of the Customer Scorecard,an initiative designed to gather data which will be
used to better understand the customers' opinions of existing service and areas
of priority that need improvement.
According to the latest quarterly survey of about 500 HART riders, the public
transit system has drastically improved its customer service since conducting
its first survey last year. Results of the survey, which was conducted at
different times of day, and days of the week on all HART routes to measure
customer impressions, indicate that HART is outperforming the national transit
industry in customer satisfaction by 28%.
Back in 2015, HART hired TransPro
Consulting to conduct surveys gauging rider satisfaction, asking riders whether
they would recommend HART service to friends or family.
TransPro has conducted four waves of surveys since 2015, taking place in
August and December, speaking to a total of 2,082 customers.
According to TransPro
staff, who presented survey results to the HART Board of Directors during
its February 6 meeting, HART scored notably high marks for service
frequency, bus routes location convenience, and service improvements over the
course of the past year.
TransPro also pointed out that
HART achieved a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 48%, a full 36% higher than the
transit industry average NPS of 12% for customer satisfaction. Net Promoter
Score is a widely used in both the private and public sectors as a
customer satisfaction index ranging from -100 to 100 that measures the
willingness of customers to recommend a company's products or services to
others. It is used as a proxy for gauging the customer's overall satisfaction
with a company's service and the customer's loyalty to the brand.
Roughly 95% of customers expressed
overall satisfaction with HART service, meanwhile the percentage of customers
who felt that the agency's service had improved over the past year increased by
50% in wave four of the surveys. Regarding customer loyalty,
approximately 71% of the
riders surveyed in wave four identified themselves as riding five days a week,
which is higher than the industry standard. In addition, over 65% of
customers in Waves 2, 3 and 4 use HART buses most frequently for work.
HART will continue to conduct these surveys on a regular, ongoing basis to
target specific improvements needed to boost customer satisfaction.
As we celebrate Black History Month, we are frequently
reminded of the important role that transportation plays in supporting and
sustaining communities of color in today's complex landscape. In celebration of
Black History Month, HART
has planned several activities to celebrate Black History Month.
Starting this week, all HART fixed route buses will have a
seat designated for Rosa Parks, a pioneer in the Civil Rights Movement. Parks,
the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement," will be honored by HART in
this fitting tribute by designating a seat on every HART bus. Each of these
special seat covers will have a commemorative sign displayed on them, honoring
both Parks' legacy and her dedication to the Civil Rights Movement.
HART is designating a seat for Rosa Parks throughout Feb.
More than 180 HART buses will have a seat designated for
Rosa Parks. A sign will remind all passengers of Parks' decision to take a
stand simply by taking a seat. Parks' non-violent action on December 1, 1955
led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott that culminated one year later with a U. S.
Supreme Court ruling guaranteeing access to public transportation.
"Her actions created millions of opportunities for
transit users in Hillsborough County who rely on HART to get to work, to get to
school and to create the lives they want. HART makes life happen for many
folks," HART Chief Administrative Officer Kenyatta Lee said. "Her
decision to keep her seat reminds all of us to focus on the larger issues of
equality, opportunity and hope for the future."
In addition, HART has also produced a video - HART Generations of Services. This video features three HART retirees who tell their
personal stories about how HART has changed through the years and how HART
shaped their lives. The video is being played on the monitors located
throughout the agency and it is available on the HART YouTube page.
Also, on February 21, HART will host a reception for our
retirees at the Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library at 5:00 pm. This is a
great opportunity to spend time with some great HART pioneers and see the
exhibit displayed in recognition of Black History Month.
We're highlighting local African American historical sites!
Public transportation also happens to be a great way to
visit local African American historic sites in Tampa.
On social media, we're also highlighting these local African
American historical sites and how you can Take HART to Black History!
HART is honored to be able to celebrate the lives of all
those who paved the way during this month's activities in recognition of Black
History Month.
OneBusAway Tampa, the innovative app that brings you HART real-time arrival information, is now even better with the launch of a new reporting tool!
HART is the first transit agency in Florida to partner directly with SeeClickFix, Inc., a communications platform, which will
allow HART riders to stay connected with HART. The OneBusAway Tampa app's latest feature allows riders to
report issues,
provide suggestions to HART in real time, receive status updates, and monitor the progress and
resolutions.
In addition, riders
can vote on issues that are important to maintaining our transit system.
Behind the scenes, issues and suggestions are automatically assigned to the
appropriate department for immediate attention, thus streamlining the customer
service process and enabling better statistical reports.
OneBusAway user just need to tap "Send Feedback"
OneBusAway Tampa users can access the reporting tool by tapping the "Send Feedback" button on the left-hand menu.
The
customer service reporting feature is currently only available on Android
devices.
However, our iOS friends were recently shown some love in a recent update to the iOS platform. The OneBusAway app now allows HART patrons to instantly track buses to see (on a map)
exactly how far the bus is from their current location. TheOneBusAway Tampa iOS
layout has also been greatly improved.
The Center for Urban Transportation Research at theUniversity of South Florida developed thestandardized interface between the
OneBusAway and SeeClickFix system as part of a project which aims to improve
communication between travelers and public agencies providing transportation
services.This work was sponsored by
the National Center for Transit Research and Florida Department of
Transportation. Since it was originally launched, the free app has
gained in popularity with HART patrons, being accessed closed to 300,000 times per month. Thanks to OneBusAway, riders save time, effort, and stress, with the reassurance of knowing exactly where their HART bus is! And now, the app connects them directly to HART!
Arrgh
you ready?! Have your sights set on Gasparilla? Travel safely to the festivities... set sail with
HART and the TECO Line Streetcar System!
HART will run extra
streetcar, bus and In-Towner service to accommodate the large numbers of
anticipated riders on Saturday, January 28th. (Please note that
routes are subject to change due to road closures.)
HART is by far the most convenient and affordable
way to travel to the Gasparilla parade. An all-day HART bus pass is $4.00; an all-day streetcar pass is $5.00. Exact change is the fastest way to get on buses and streetcars
during the parade.
Below are important details to make the trip to the
Gasparilla parade easier:
$5 for an all-day pass, which may be purchased in advance
with cash (exact change required) at ticket vending machines, located at each
streetcar station. *This fare does not cover City of Tampa parking
fees.
For those parking in Ybor City, HART strongly recommends riders to board The TECO Line Streetcar System at either Station 1 (Centennial Park) or Station 2 (Centro Ybor) to Downtown Tampa, Station 10
(Dick Greco Plaza).
Continuous
service 8:00 a.m.-1:30 a.m.
TECO
Line Streetcar System Stations 3 and 4 will be closed 10 a.m.-2 p.m.,
but during that time, HART will provide continuous bus service to/from
Station 10 (Dick Greco Plaza) between 9:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
An all-day pass is $4,
which may be purchased in advance
at HART
retail outlets or on board buses
on Gasparilla Day with cash only (no change provided).
Monthly bus passes may also be
used. *This fare does not
cover City of Tampa parking fees.
For those
parking in Ybor City, Station 3 (Streetcar Society Station) and Station 4
(Cadrecha Station) HART will be providing continuous bus service to/from
Downtown Tampa, Station 10 (Dick Greco Plaza) 9:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
For those parking
at the
Port Authority
Parking Garage in the
Channel District, HART will be
providing continuous
bus service
to/from Station 10 (Dick
Greco Plaza) 9:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m. View Map for Gasparilla 2017
The In-Towner
FREE service
The In-Town Trolley provides a connection from the north end of Downtown
Tampa (Marion Transit Center) to the south end of Downtown Tampa, serving many of the downtown area parking garages. View Map for Gasparilla 2017
Continuous service 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Getting to Downtown Tampa on
HART
From North Tampa: Routes 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 12, 14, 18
Detours Routes 7, 8, 14, 19, and 30 will be on detour during the festivities. Make sure to party like a responsible pirate! No coolers or alcohol allowed on HART buses and the TECO Line Streetcar System.
At its January 9 meeting, the HART Board of Directors elected Hillsborough County Commissioner
Lesley "Les" Miller as the new Chairperson for the year 2017,
succeeding Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez.
"I am honored to be chosen by my peers to lead an
agency that is dedicated to enhancing transportation services in Hillsborough
County," Miller said. "I'm looking forward to serving as chairperson
on the HART Board of Directors and will continue our initiatives to improve
mobility for all who live, work and visit this county. HART is transforming
transportation in the Tampa Bay area."
Other officers elected were Karen Jaroch as Vice
Chairperson, Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez as Secretary.
"I am very excited about this new Board leadership. All
of the new officers have made many contributions to the success of HART and
public transportation in Hillsborough County," said Katharine Eagan, HART
Chief Executive Officer. "Their leadership within the HART Board of
Directors will continue to be key to delivering the kind of high-quality public
transportation customers rely on every day, and continue to better address
current and future transportation needs in the Tampa Bay Area."
Commissioner Les Miller was elected to represent District 3
in 2010. Miller previously served as a member of the Florida Senate from
2000-2006 and a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1992-2000.
During his time in the Florida Legislature, he served as the Minority Leader
for both the House and the Senate. He also was appointed to the Taxation and
Budget Reform Commission from 2007-2008 and as a member of the Florida Board of
Regents from 1977-1979. Miller also previously served as Associate Vice
President and Dean for Students for the University of South Florida, and as the
manager of Minority Business Development and Governmental Relations for Tampa
General Hospital. Commissioner Miller was appointed to the HART Board of
Directors on on July 30, 2014.
The HART officers are elected annually by the Board of
Directors and can serve up three consecutive terms. Commissioner Les Miller and
the new officers assumed office as of January 9, 2017.
