HART Operations Facility to Close to Public During Construction

Beginning Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, the HART Operations Facility located at 4305 E. 21st Avenue in Tampa, will be closed to the general public (visitors, vendors and patrons) until further notice. A major renovation of the Operations facility is underway and is expected to be completed in mid-2012. Official HART business will now be conducted at the HART Administrative Office located at 1201 E. 7th Ave. in Ybor City.

Patrons seeking to claim their lost bike must now make an appointment with HART safety staff. To make an appointment, please call (813) 623-5835, during regular business hours only (Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Lost bikes will no longer be housed in the lost and found area of the 21st Ave. Operations Facility.

Interested in updates? We’ll keep you posted on the status of HART Operations facility renovation as it transforms into a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building. LEED is an internationally-recognized green building certification system.

Visit www.goHART.org for more information.

Get onboard with HART this school year!

Welcome back, students! Another summer is in the books and another school year is here. If you're planning on using HART this school year, below is a quick reference guide on connecting to HART and special fares from your school.

What is HART?

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) is the public transportation service provider for Hillsborough County. HART serves Hillsborough County's employees, residents and visitors with 32 Local Routes, 13 Express Routes, and 5 Flex services. HART also operates the 2.7 mile TECO Line Streetcar System, serving the restaurants, attractions and other entertainment venues of Ybor City, the Channel District and downtown Tampa.

For a "how-to" video on riding HART, click here.

HART Adult Student Fare program:

Schools participating in the HART Adult Student Fare program sell HART fare cards to its students for a 25% discount. Students can purchase a 31-Day Local Adult Student Fare Card for only $45 (normally $60) at their respective schools by showing their valid student ID. Please note, the adult student discount is not applicable if the pass is purchased at traditional HART sales outlets.

Click here for a listing of participating schools.

What's a fare card worth, if you can't connect to your school?

Luckily, HART has you covered with multiple routes connecting to over 20+ colleges in Hillsborough County. Below, you'll find a listing of some of the schools that HART serves with bus, van and in some cases, streetcar service.

University of South Florida (USF):

The following HART routes serve the USF area:

• Route 1 - Florida Ave.
  
• Route 2 - Nebraska Ave.
• Route 5 - 40th St.
• Route 6 - 56th St.
• Route 9 - 15th St.
• Route 12 - 22nd St.
• Route 18 - 30th St.
• Route 33 - Fletcher Ave.
• Route 45 - U.A.T.C.
• Route 57 - U.A.T.C.

Students ride FREE on HART local, limited express and Flex routes with valid student ID. Faculty and staff ride for just 25¢.

For information on the U-Pass program, click here.

Hillsborough Community College (HCC):

We have a number of routes serving the HCC campuses around the county:

• Dale Mabry campus - Route 7
• Davis Islands (Admin. Office) - Routes 19, 46
• Brandon campus - Route 37
• SouthShore campus - Route 31, HARTFlex South County
• Ybor City campus - Routes 5, 8, 9, 12, 18, 46, the TECO Line Streetcar

Click here for a map of the HCC service area.

Students can purchase a 31-Day Local Adult Student Fare Card for $45 at the bookstores of HCC's Dale Mabry, Brandon and Ybor City campuses.

University of Tampa (UT):

HART serves UT via the following routes:

• Route 4 - Palma Ceia/MacDill
• Route 7 - West Tampa/Citrus Park
  
• Route 10 - Cypress St.
  
• Route 14 - Armenia Ave.
  
• Route 19 - Port Tampa
  
• Route 30 - Town 'N Country/Airport
  
• Route 46 - Davis Islands/West Brandon
  

Click here for a map of the UT service area.

Everest University:

HART serves Everest University with routes 34, 36.

Click here for a map of the Everest University service area.

Barry University:

Routes 7, 16 connected to Barry University.

Click here for a map of the Barry University service area.

Sanford Brown University:

HART connects to Sanford Brown via routes 6, 15, 32, 34, 37, 39, 41, 57

Click here for a map of the Sanford Brown University service area.

Ultimate Medical Academy:

HART connects to the Ultimate Medical Academy via routes 1, 9, 14, 39.

Click here for a map of the Ultimate Medical Academy service area.

Now that you've purchased your pass, what's the next step?

Plan your school commute with HART.

Your best bet is the HART Trip Planner. Simply type in your starting and end points, arrival time/date, hit "get directions," and let the planner do the rest. Bookmark the Trip Planner for easier access later. Can't get to our website, and need immediate assistance? Call the HARTinfo line at 813-254-4278, or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

Hopefully, you found this guide helpful, if there is anything else that you think we should include (like your school), let us know in the "comments" section. Have a great school year!

Getting there, with HART!

In town for the day? Staying for a weekend? Live here? Tampa has a number of things to do for visitors and residents alike.

Traveling with kids? Discounted passes for 17 and under on HART and the TECO Line Streetcar mean the fun doesn't have to end just because school's starting back up.

Use HART to get to the following Tampa attractions and avoid the costs and hassles of parking:

• Adventure Island - Route 5
• Busch Gardens - Routes 5, 18, 39
• Centro Ybor - Route 8, TECO Line Streetcar
• Channelside Bay Plaza - TECO Line Streetcar, In-Town Trolley Green Line
• Florida Aquarium - Route 8 and the TECO Line Streetcar
• Glazer's Children Museum - Routes 7, 10, In-Town Trolley Green and Purple Line
• Henry B. Plant Museum - Route 30
  
• International Plaza - 15, 30, 59LX
  
• Lowry Park Zoo - Routes 41, 45
• Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) - Route 6
• Port of Tampa Cruise Terminal - TECO Line Streetcar, In-Town Trolley Green Line
  
• Raymond James Stadium - Routes 7, 32 36, 4
• St. Pete Times Forum - Route 8, In-Town Trolley Green and Purple Line, TECO Line Streetcar
• David A. Straz Jr. Center - In-Town Trolley Green Line, TECO Line Streetcar
• Tampa Convention Center - Route 4, In-Town Trolley Green Line and Purple Line, TECO Line Streetcar
• Tampa Bay History Center - Route 8, TECO Line Streetcar, In-Town Trolley Green Line
  
• Tampa Museum of Art - Routes 7, 10, In-Town Trolley Green Line
• University of South Florida - Routes 5, 6, 18, 57
• Westshore Plaza - Routes 5, 30, 45, 89
• Yacht Starship Cruises - TECO Line Streetcar, In-Town Trolley Green Line
• Ybor Museum State Park - Route 8, TECO Line Streetcar
  

All day HART passes begin as low as $1.85 for children and $3.75 for adults. For more information on HART fares, click here.

Getting around downtown?

Getting around downtown is easier than ever with the In-Town Trolley. The In-Town Trolley is a rubber-wheeled "trolley-bus" made to replicate old-time streetcars/trams. The In-Town Trolley costs only 25¢, and covers most of the downtown Tampa attractions. The Purple Line runs during weekdays and the Green Line runs on weekends. Both lines operate on 15 minute frequencies.

Click here for Purple and Green In-Town Trolley operating hours.

The TECO Line Streetcar offers a unique opportunity to take a ride through Tampa's past, while also serving the majority of the attractions listed above.

Things to know about the TECO Line Streetcar

The 2.7 mile streetcar line runs every 20 minutes (exceptions apply) on rails that connect Ybor City, Channelside and Downtown Tampa. It operates 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday service begins at noon and runs until 8 p.m.

A "family pass" was recently introduced and costs only $12. The pass includes all day rides for up to 2 adults and 3 children, or 1 adult and 4 children! Please note that Streetcar Motormen do not provide change.

Click here, for HART maps and schedules.

For TECO Line Streetcar fares, maps and schedules, visit www.TECOlinestreetcar.org.

Enjoy your day(s) in Tampa with HART!

It's Mapnificent!

Want to see how far you can go from your location in a certain amount of time on HART? There's now an app for that!

HART released our General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS), or scheduling data, about a month ago and we now have the first "app" created using the data.

Mapnificent.

Mapnificent is a free web-based application that utilizes HART scheduling data (times, stops, frequencies, etc.) to formulate and display the results over Google Maps. You can drag the pin around for different locations, use the slider for different maximum times, and go to settings to choose times and days of week. You can also drag the pin around to find the half way meeting point between friends living across town.

Mapnificent was created by a 23-year-old graduate student named Stefan Wehrmeyer, a graduate student in Germany. "I hope people use it to find the best place to live, work and meet, said Wehrmeyer on his blog. "That they discover new things about their public transport system."

If you would like a more in depth look of the functionality of Mapnificent, please watch the video below. Wehrmeyer gives a great tutorial on using Mapnificent to accomplish a number of tasks.

Mapnificent from Stefan Wehrmeyer on Vimeo.

Mapnificent is now live in Tampa and can be found by going to www.mapnificent.net/tampa

Reminder: HART does not endorse any 3rd party applications, including Mapnificent . However, we do support providing our patrons with options, and having our data open for public consumption and ingenuity.

If you are interested in developing a 3rd party application, please visit the HART Developer's page located here.

HART: Working 24/7 to Serve You!

Ever wonder how HART maintains over 200+ fleet vehicles? Buses begin rolling out for service shortly before 4 a.m. and when the lights go down on the city, and the last bus rolls in around 1:30 a.m.,the overnight maintenance crew comes out.

Fifty employees clock in to help get the over 200 vehicles ready for service the next day. Cleaning begins around 7 p.m., while mechanics work on the fleet at all times of the day. The maintenance facility is alive almost 24/7, with only three hours of down time in between Saturday night and Sunday morning. We're out of breathe just thinking about it...

Click on the video below for a greater look at our overnight maintenance crew.

Get Out to the World Cup of Dragon Boat Racing with HART!

*Juliette Lynch St. Pete Times photo

An international event is taking place this week on Tampa's waters, and you might not even be aware of it. The World Dragon Boat Racing Championships are taking place this weekend in Seedon Channel between Harbour Island and Davis Islands.

Twenty-six teams from around the world are competing in the event which is similar to the World Cup of Dragon Boat racing.

Dragon Boats are steeped in 2,000 years of history, which originate from China. Today, the decorative boats are reminders of the sport's history. The event is held every two years around the world and it's been 10 years since the event was last held in the U.S. (Philadelphia). The next Championships will be held in Tehran in 2013, but until then, the world of Dragon Boat racing belongs to Tampa. The best spots to catch the races are the Tampa Convention Center, Curtis Hixon Park, and Jackson's Bistro.

HART is making it easier to get downtown to see the races with these quick and easy options:

Temple Terrace to Downtown Tampa - Route 6
From 56th Street & Busch Boulevard to Marion Transit Center 30-minute frequency Saturdays/Sundays

• Saturday (Southbound to Downtown): First trip leaves 56th Street & Busch Boulevard at 6:51 a.m.
• Saturday (Northbound to Temple Terrace): Last trip leaves Marion Transit Center at 8:45 p.m.
• Sunday (Southbound to Downtown): First trip leaves from 56th Street & Busch Boulevard at 7:21 a.m.
• Sunday Schedule: (Northbound to Temple Terrace) Last trip leaves at 8:45 p.m.

Brandon to Downtown Tampa – Route 8
From Westfield Brandon Mall to Marion Transit Center
60-minute frequency Saturdays/Sundays

• Saturday (Westbound to Downtown): First trip leaves Westfield Brandon Mall at 6:40 a.m.
• Saturday (Eastbound to Brandon): Last trip leaves Marion Transit Center at 8:30 p.m.
• Sunday (Westbound to Downtown): First trip leaves Westfield Brandon Mall at 6:25 a.m.
• Sunday (Eastbound to Brandon): Last trip leaves Marion Transit Center at 7:15 p.m.

South Tampa to Downtown Tampa – Route 19
From Britton Plaza to Marion Transit Center
60-minute frequency Saturdays/Sundays

• Saturday/Sunday (Northbound to Downtown): First trip leaves Britton Plaza at 7:55 a.m.
• Saturday/Sunday (Southbound to South Tampa): Last trip leaves Marion Transit Center at 8:35 p.m.

Westchase to Downtown Tampa – Route 30
From Northwest Transfer Center off of Waters & Sheldon to Marion Transit Center
30-minute frequency Saturdays/Sundays

• Saturday/Sunday (Eastbound to Downtown): First trip leaves Northwest Transfer Center at 7:05 a.m.
• Saturday/Sunday (Westbound to Westchase): Last trip leaves Marion Transit Center at 9:35 p.m.

A HART one-day unlimited ride pass is only $3.75! HART unlimited ride passes are also good on the TECO Line Streetcar system.

The event is free of charge, and with these low-cost, convenient options, HART is making it easier to get to the races.