Fee or Free? HART Invites Public Feedback on TECO Line Streetcar Fare Reinstatement

With the funding grant for fare-free service coming to an end, HART - as operator of the TECO Line Streetcar - may need to reinstate fares by January 5, 2025. This discussion comes after the expiration of several Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) grants and partnerships, like the City of Tampa, Tampa Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs), and the Tampa Downtown Partnership, that previously covered customer fares.

The five-year FDOT streetcar service agreement of $2.3 million annually expired in 2023. FDOT had agreed to provide an additional 12 months of funding through 2024, totaling $700,000, with a matching contribution from the City of Tampa. This funding is critical to maintaining and improving the streetcar service, a vital component of our public transportation network.

Take our quick survey to submit your feedback.

¿Tarifa o Gratis? Complete nuestra encuesta para enviar sus comentarios sobre un posible cambio de tarifa del tranvía

HART will hold a Public Hearing on the Streetcar Fare Changes: 

• Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024 
• Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 
• Location: HART Ybor Administrative Offices (1201 E. 7th Avenue, 3rd Floor, Tampa, FL 33605) 
• Virtual Option: The public can listen to and view the meeting live via HART’s official YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/harttransit 
• All public comments and survey responses will be afforded equal consideration regardless of the format they are provided.

HART staff will also be at various TECO Line Streetcar Stations to answer questions from Thursday, October 31 to Thursday, November 7. 

Take the survey and view the upcoming outreach schedule at www.tecolinestreetcar.org/fares.

Ride HART Fare-Free on Election Day with Voter Information Card!

Ride HART fare-free on Election Day with your Voter Information Card!

HART is announcing free rides to Hillsborough County polling locations on Election Day. Voters can ride fare-free on all HART services by showing their valid Voter Information Card on November 5, 2024.

Customers are encouraged to prepare for their trip by identifying their polling location, and the specific routes necessary for travel before starting their trip. Customers can use the HART trip planner to map out their route in advance. 

Please check your voting status by visiting the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections website. 

Exercise your right to vote with a free ride on HART. Your voice is important!

HART Service is Temporarily Fare Free to Support Milton Recovery - EXTENDED Through Oct. 28!

UPDATE (10.21.2024) - Fare-free service has been EXTENDED through Monday, October 28, 2024.

HART is pleased to announce that effective immediately, HART Bus, HARTPlus, and HARTFlex will operate fare-free until October 21st, 2024.

This initiative aims to provide transportation services to our community during the ongoing recovery efforts following Hurricane Milton.

The decision to implement fare-free service is driven by three critical factors:

1. Emergency Transportation: Residents traveling to Emergency Comfort Stations established by the County will also benefit from free transit, enabling access to vital services during this challenging time.
2. Aid for Displaced Residents: Fare-free transit will help displaced residents, ensuring they have the means to move around safely.
3. Support for Students: All school students will have access to fare-free bus trips, ensuring they can attend school without the burden of transportation costs.

With ongoing detours and route adjustments due to hurricane damage, our bus operators are facing increased challenges. Implementing a fare-free policy will simplify operations and allow our drivers to focus on safely transporting all customers, whether they are traveling for education or in need of emergency assistance.

Offering free transit during this extended Hillsborough County State of Emergency is a crucial step in supporting our community. By eliminating transportation costs, HART’s goal is to relieve financial pressure on families and ensure that students can continue their education while providing residents with access to emergency services without additional burden.

HART is committed to serving our community and encourages all residents to take advantage of this fare-free service during these critical recovery efforts.

For more information about routes and schedules, please visit www.goHART.org or contact HART Customer Service at (813) 254-4278.

HART Tropical Storm Debby Update

LATEST HART WEATHER UPDATE (as of 8.5.24; 8:35 a.m.)

8.5.24 @ 8:37 a.m.: HART is running regular service. Due to the inclement weather, please leave to essential trips only. Expect detours and look at OneBusAway Tampa or call Customer Service (813-254-4278) for updated detour information. 

8.4.24 @ 7:51 p.m.: We expect to roll out normal weekday service on Monday. Please visit Bus-Map-Schedules (gohart.org) to see the latest service schedule, following service changes on Sunday, August 4, 2024. The HART team will evaluate roadway conditions before normal service begins. Some routes may be delayed due to localized flooding. If you need to ride HART on Monday, please provide yourself with additional travel time.

8.4.24 @ 1:13 p.m.: HART is currently operating fare-free service to the Emergency Storm Shelter at Erwin Technical College, 2010 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa.

8.2.24: HART is still monitoring the tropics for any impacts to service. The Tampa Bay area is now under a Tropical Storm Warning, which means the area will see impacts from a possible Tropical Storm within the next 48 hours. HART will cease service if sustained winds reach 35 mph. 

Click here to learn more about HART service during a storm.

Now is the time to prepare for the storm. Hillsborough County has a great hurricane storm prep resource. 

Riders should continue to monitor HART's In-Transit Blog, Facebook , and Twitter or contact the HART InfoLine at 813-254-4278 for the latest service information.

Customers can visit www.goHART.org for maps, schedules, and more.

HART to Implement Service Changes on Sunday, August 4, 2024

 

HART is implementing service changes to several HART routes on Sunday, August 4, 2024, to improve efficiency and the customer experience.

• Service with Schedule Changes / Cambios en el horario: 
• Routes 1, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 15, 24LX, 25LX, 30, 34, 37, 38, 45, 46, 275LX, and 360LX

• Earlier service / Servicio temprano: Routes 37 and 38

HART customers can visit goHART.org to view the service changes or contact Customer Service at (813) 254-4278 for more information.

Swim with HART: Free City of Tampa Pool Access with HART Pass!

HART and the City of Tampa’s Parks and Recreation Department have launched Swim with HART – a program that lets HART riders gain free admission into City of Tampa pools.

The pilot program will run through the end of the summer pool season, Saturday, August 10. Showing your bus pass at City pools will get you in for free during open swim and lap swim hours at Parks and Recreation’s 11 open pools.

“This partnership between Parks and Recreation and HART will enable more residents to enjoy our City of Tampa pools,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. “It’s great that we can count on HART to help Tampa’s residents become more active and have more fun.”

Although you do not need to take a bus to the pool, HART created a custom map showing the best routes to get to four pools and three splash pads.

"We are excited to partner with the City of Tampa’s Parks and Recreation Department to provide free pool access to HART riders this summer,” HART Manager of Marketing Frank Wyszynski said. “This initiative lets riders beat the heat and also encourages residents to utilize public transportation for fun and recreational activities.”

You can find the map, and the hours for open swim and lap swim, at tampa.gov/swim-with-HART.

Impact of Friday Evening Storm on HART Facility

Following a severe weather event that recently went through our area Friday evening, HART faced significant challenges in ensuring the continuity of transit services for several hours. The HART Transit Operations Facility lost all power, which included vital infrastructure such as the generator, radio tower communications and data-center information systems.

Emergency work on HART's main generator

The effects of these high-impact, pop-up weather events underscore the urgent need for support to harden our transit operations infrastructure. To address these challenges effectively, HART is actively pursuing a US Department of Transportation (US DOT) RAISE Grant, requesting $23.4 million. This grant is crucial for HART to begin addressing our facility needs and improve the resilience of infrastructure for current and future weather and climate risks.

"We are at a critical juncture in maintaining the operational readiness of our transit services when strong-impact storms affect our Operations & Heavy Maintenance Facility," said Kemly Jimenez Green, HART Director of Communications. The support from a US DOT RAISE Grant will play a pivotal role addressing infrastructure and bolstering our resilience against future disruptions."

HART’s RAISE grant application (The Project) seeks funding specifically for the first phase of the site remediation and modernization, which will be followed by the demolition and rebuilding of the 45-year-old heavy maintenance facility. The Project will improve the safety of the traveling public through improved routine maintenance of the buses as well as safer facilities for HART staff. The Project will address environmental sustainability through the provision of nature-based solutions for stormwater remediation and improving resilience of infrastructure for current and future weather and climate risks.

HART has remained committed to providing reliable transit services to our community despite these challenges. Thanks to highly skilled Controllers, Transit Supervisors, Bus Operators, and Paratransit Drivers – HART continued to deliver service out on the roads –avoiding any systemic customer disruptions Friday evening.

HART values the ongoing support and collaboration of our community partners and stakeholders, especially Tampa Electric for restoring power to HART as quickly as possible. This allowed HART to service and maintain vehicles overnight and resume transit operations this morning for all our customers.

Flooding in the inventory room