HART Riders Can Now Pay Via Debit, Credit, Google Pay and Apple Pay!

Tampa Bay transit riders (HART/PSTA/The Bus) can now tap to ride across the region using credit and debit cards, digital wallets (Google Pay or Apple Pay), as well as the Flamingo Fares smartcard or mobile app.

"We are excited to offer our customers another way to pay their fare,” said Adelee Le Grand, Chief Executive Officer, HART. “Contactless payments on Flamingo Fares not only provide our customers with greater ease of access, removing another barrier from riding transit, but also assists in speeding up the boarding process, improving travel times.”

The Flamingo Fares system has fare capping implemented, meaning passengers always receive the lowest price as the system automatically caps prices whenever riders reach the daily or monthly thresholds. Riders using contactless payments (debit/credit/Google Pay/Apple Pay) will be able to take advantage of daily fare capping. 

Please note: Discount fare riders must use their Flamingo Fares smartcard or mobile app to receive the reduced fare. 

Attempts to use the same contactless payment multiple times (multiple riders) upon boarding will result in a failed transaction.

Flamingo Fares Tampa Bay launched in 2020.

To learn more about contactless payments and Flamingo Fares, visit www.FlamingoFares.com

HART CEO Adelee Le Grand Named To Power 100 List For 2nd Consecutive Year

The Tampa Bay Business Journal has named HART CEO Adelee Le Grand, AICP, as one of Tampa Bay’s most influential business leaders.

On February 1, the publication released its annual Power 100 List, recognizing Le Grand amongst a host of other prominent local business leaders, including the owners of the local sports franchises, as well as the CEOs of Publix, the University of South Florida and Tampa International Airport.

The Power 100 list recognizes individuals for their leadership qualities, and how their work helps to "shape the paths and fortunes" of the regional business community. 

This marks Le Grand’s second consecutive year on the influential list.

Inclusion on this list demonstrates how Le Grand has been strategic in building relationships with business and civic leaders whose support of public transit is key to expanding customer-focused mobility options in Hillsborough County.

Since her arrival at HART in January 2021, Le Grand has been laser-focused on creating a new vision for the organization by establishing trust and transparency, cultivating a culture of operational excellence and building meaningful strategic partnerships. 

You can read the article here. 

HART CEO Adelee Marie Le Grand, AICP

The TECO Line Streetcar Hits All-Time Ridership Record

Credit: Visit Tampa Bay

The TECO Line Streetcar smashed the all-time monthly ridership record in December 2022 with 118,575 trips.

It was the highest monthly ridership in over 20 years of TECO Line Streetcar service.

The TECO Line Streetcar has broken several ridership records over the past year with the previous monthly record achieved in March 2022 with 107,956 trips reported. The Streetcar also ended Fiscal Year 2022 (October 2021 - September 31, 2022) with all-time annual ridership of over a million trips taken.

The record ridership is attributed to population growth along the Streetcar line, visitors in town for events such as the ReliaQuest Bowl, and an overall return in Hillsborough County tourism.

"When we opened the streetcar system, there were very few people living in downtown and Ybor City," said Michael English, President, Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. "Now, people are riding it, not just for fun, now they're riding it to get to work, to go to school. It has just been astounding. The Streetcar is a viable transportation option in downtown and Ybor City."

The TECO Line Streetcar is an agreement between HART, the City of Tampa, and Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. and includes the Florida Department of Transportation, the Community Redevelopment Areas along the Streetcar line, and the Tampa Downtown Partnership as funding partners.

The HART HCC Semester Pass Has Flocked to Flamingo Fares!

Welcome back, Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Hawks! The HART HCC Semester Pass has migrated to Flamingo Fares.

HCC students can purchase a full semester pass for only $110. The pass provides students with four months of rides for roughly the price of two! HCC students can now purchase a pass at all HCC Bookstores or by bringing their Student ID to the Customer Service window at the Marion Transit Center or University Area Transit Center for verification of HCC status

Upon boarding, simply tap your Flamingo Fares card on the Flamingo reader and wait for a green check.

Please note: The HCC Semester Pass is NOT valid on HARTPlus service. 

First time riding HART? 

Make sure you Ride with Respect to maintain a great experience for everyone on board! 

New to public transportation? HART Travel Training is a GREAT way to learn the ropes of riding public transportation. The service is FREE with trainers providing step-by-step instructions on how to understand the HART system (reading a map, signage, etc.) and figure out the best route that will take you to your destination.

HART Board Elects New Leadership for 2023

Councilman Viera

At its January 9 meeting, the Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART) Board elected Councilman Luis Viera as Chair, Commissioner Michael Owen as Vice-Chair and Director Melanie Williams as Secretary of the HART Board of Directors for 2023.

Councilman Viera takes over as HART Chair from Commissioner Patricia Kemp, who served in the role for the past year. Chair Viera will serve a 1-year term.

Councilman Viera has been a HART Board member since 2020 and has served on the Tampa City Council since 2016.

The HART Board is responsible for setting policy and making decisions for the Authority on matters ranging from system operations, service planning, fare structure, finance, and customer service, and is made up of 14 volunteers who are appointed to represent Hillsborough County (seven seats), City of Tampa (four seats), State of Florida (two seats) and City of Temple Terrace (one seat). Officers of the HART Board (chair, vice-chair and secretary) are elected every year.

Ring in the New Year with the TECO Line Streetcar!

Credit: Visit Tampa Bay

The Tampa skyline will light up Saturday night in celebration of the New Year with thousands watching from multiple locations along the Tampa Riverwalk.

Regardless of where you celebrate downtown, the TECO Line Streetcar System is your best bet to avoid expected traffic and parking issues! Park in Ybor City, and take in the Reliaquest Bowl Parade beginning at 5:30 p.m. Following the parade's end, you can take the Streetcar downtown (hop off at Dick Greco Plaza) and only park once!

The Streetcar is FREE and operates until 2 a.m. The NYE firework displays are scheduled to begin at Midnight.

Click here for a map of the Downtown network of services, including streetcar, and HART local service.

Should you plan on driving to the festivities...

American Automobile Association (AAA) offers a complimentary "Tow-to-Go" service for those that might have had too much holiday "cheer" this year. The service is available to everyone, meaning you don't have to be a AAA member. Call 1-855-286-9246 (you might want to save this number in your phone now) and a tow truck will come out and tow you and your car home safely - for FREE. 

Whether you're enjoying your New Year's Eve with us or not, please be SAFE!

New Year's Eve Service:

HART is operating on a Saturday schedule for New Year's Eve. The TECO Line Streetcar will operate from 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. 

The TECO Line Streetcar will operate every 15 minutes until 2:00 a.m.

HART Customer Service will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and can be reached at (813) 254-4278.

New Year's Day Service:

HART is operating on a Sunday schedule for New Year's Day. The TECO Line Streetcar System will operate 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. HART Customer Service Centers and HART offices will be closed.

HART Customer Service will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and can be reached at (813) 254-4278.

Safe travels in 2023!

HART Customers can now use the Moovit App to Pay Their Fare!

 
HART customers now have another option to plan their trip and pay their fare with the Moovit app!

The City of Tampa has partnered with Moovit and HART to allow you to pay your HART fare via the app and plan your multimodal trip by foot, bus, streetcar, scooter, & more.

HART customers can purchase select fares (including HARTPlus) on the app, which is available via the Apple and Google Play stores.

The Moovit app also features real-time information for HART, PSTA, and Pasco County, as well as the locations of 28 parking lots, including 10 HART park-and-ride and 18 park mobile lots. With all mobility options included and real-time arrival information, you can now plan multimodal trips to more easily get around.