HART Awarded $23.4 Million USDOT RAISE Grant

HART Maintenance Conceptual Master Plan

HART is excited to announce an award of $23,356,950 through the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. The grant is the largest funding award in HART's history and will support Phase 1 of the Maintenance Site Remediation and Facility Modernization Project. Phase 1 of the Maintenance Site Remediation and Facility Modernization Project focuses on redeveloping a heavy maintenance facility site to meet the current and future needs of the HART fleet and operations and advances the agency’s mission to provide safe, efficient, and sustainable public transportation throughout Hillsborough County. Key components of Phase 1 include: Stormwater Remediation: Implementing stormwater management solutions to enhance environmental sustainability and regulatory compliance. Transit Vehicle Service Lane: Constructing a state-of-the-art service lane to improve the efficiency of vehicle maintenance and operations. Security Enhancements: Installing perimeter security fencing to ensure the safety and security of HART assets and personnel. The site remediation and modernization project lays the foundation for a modernized facility capable of supporting a fleet of up to 250 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. Plans for the site include accommodating low-emission vehicles powered by CNG and/or hydrogen fuel, aligning with HART’s commitment to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint. “The RAISE grant funding is crucial and will enable HART to modernize our facilities and enhance operational efficiency, paving the way for a greener, more sustainable transit system,” said HART CEO Scott Drainville. “We thank the Department of Transportation for recognizing the importance of this project and supporting HART’s vision for the future of public transportation in our region.” The RAISE program is a highly competitive grant initiative that supports transportation infrastructure projects with significant local and regional impacts. Over 200 projects of merit competed for this funding, with a total cost of all projects at over $2.3 billion. The grant award underscores the importance of investing in transit infrastructure to drive economic growth, enhance mobility, and improve resident's quality of life. “Hillsborough commuters deserve modern, clean transit to get them where they need to go on time. Now, thanks to the historic federal Infrastructure Law, HART can modernize its operations with a $23,256,950 grant for clean buses and vehicles that are low-cost, low-maintenance, and better for our health. The HART fleet will be serviced at a new and improved resilient service center to benefit everyone in Tampa and Hillsborough County. I’m thrilled that federal infrastructure investments and RAISE Grants are saving local taxpayers money at a time they need it.”

HART Awarded Grant to Combat Human Trafficking

An example of FTA's human trafficking awareness campaign

HART is pleased to announce the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has awarded HART with a Human Trafficking Awareness & Public Safety Initiative Grant totaling $100,240. The grant will be used to conduct a public awareness campaign about human trafficking leading up to Super Bowl LV being held in Tampa in 2021.

The public awareness campaign will include educational materials for the public and provide critical training for HART employees in recognizing and reporting human trafficking.

"Human trafficking is an unfortunate reality of society today," said Carolyn House Stewart, Interim HART CEO. "HART looks forward to utilizing this grant to train our employees, many of whom interact with hundreds of people daily, to help recognize the signs of human trafficking and create more awareness about the issue."

Human trafficking is modern-day slavery, affecting millions of adults and children in the United States and worldwide. Traffickers move their victims on all modes of transportation, and sometimes use public transit due to its low cost, greater anonymity in buying fare cards, and less direct interaction with government or transit officials.

In total, $5.4 million in grants were selected as part of FTA's Human Trafficking Awareness and Public Safety Initiative.

HART Awarded $4.3 Million FTA Grant For New Buses

HART has been awarded a $4.3 million Bus and Bus Facilities Program Grant by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to replace diesel buses with new Compressed Natural Gas buses!

"HART is very excited to be the recipient of this grant," said Cyndy Stiglich, Interim HART Chief Financial Officer. "It will allow us to replace diesel-fueled buses with Compressed Natural Gas buses to improve our services to major employment centers in the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County."

Demand for FTA's Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities Program far exceeded available funds, as FTA received applications for 318 eligible projects totaling approximately $1.9 billion in funding requests, from a total of 270 applicants in 43 states and territories. Only 94 projects received grant funding. Project proposals were evaluated based on criteria outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

"Public bus systems throughout the country provide millions of Americans access to jobs, healthcare, grocery stores, and other vital services," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

HART would like to thank the Hillsborough County congressional delegation for their support with special thanks to Rep. Kathy Castor, Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Ross Spano.

HART service carries roughly 35,000 daily trips with a service area of 1,266 square miles and a bus fleet of 180 buses.