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| Photo source: TBO.com |
The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) MetroRapid North-South (N-S) service turned the wheel on its first 7 months of operation on December 10, 2013. The innovative limited stop service has increased ridership, offering customers a more convenient, more flexible ride and has ushered in a new era of public transit choices.
"MetroRapid N-S service has been even more successful than we originally anticipated and has become a valued service to the community," said HART Chief Executive Officer Philip Hale. "In just 7 months of operation, we've seen MetroRapid N-S increase 22.7 percent from June to December based on average daily ridership."
The MetroRapid N-S service route, the first of its kind in Hillsborough County, was officially launched on June 10, 2013. This limited stop service features cutting-edge technology including Transit Signal Priority (TSP) system, 16 Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) at major connection points along the corridor. MetroRapid N-S offers faster travel and enhancements for a new rider experience.
The mix of new vehicles, stations and technologies have made
MetroRapid the premium way to travel. Transit Ridership on MetroRapid has
nearly doubled - averaging 2,288 daily riders in December in just its seventh month
of operation. The agency's MetroRapid N-S service has heightened awareness of
public transit benefits and opened the door to future plans for additional
MetroRapid routes.
On the travel side, customers may experience up to a 15
percent time savings over local service. This time savings can be attributed to
the implementation of the high-tech Transit Signal Priority (TSP) system that
advances buses throughout the corridor. It works by holding traffic lights
green a little longer when a bus is running behind schedule and shortening red
lights.
Construction on the northward expansion of the Marion
Transit Center is running smoothly. The project includes two new bus shelters,
extra bicycle storage, and a pick-up and drop-off area for taxis, paratransit
vans and private vehicles. A canopy will be elevated to connect MTC to the new
intermodal site which is scheduled to open in April.
For more information about MetroRapid, visit
www.goHART.org/MetroRapid 
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