HART Announces Future Departure of HART CEO Katharine Eagan

HART CEO Katharine Eagan is leaving HART

HART Chief Executive Officer Katharine Eagan will depart the agency after nearly eight years of service, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and a strong foundation for future growth.  

"Katharine Eagan has done an outstanding job running Hillsborough County's transit agency," said HART Board Chair and County Commissioner Lesley "Les" Miller. "We are deeply grateful for her leadership and proud of the many strides we made as an agency during her time as HART CEO. Eagan helped lead a new era for HART which is cutting edge, fiscally responsible, and customer focused. Efforts that have earned her the respect of many in the Tampa Bay community."

Eagan joined HART as its Chief of Service Development in 2009. During her tenure, from 2010 to 2015, ridership increased over 20% and farebox recovery increased over 25%. 

Since taking the helm as CEO, Eagan has worked with the HART Board of Directors to balance the Authority's budget, improve efficiencies, implement innovative transit solutions, and enhance the overall customer experience. HART has greatly expanded public-private partnerships with entities such as MegaBus, Red Coach, Coast Bike Share, Yellow Cab, and TransDev, and HART is continuing to pursue partnerships that provide travel options beyond traditional buses. 

In November 2016, HART partnered with Innovation Place and various sponsors to add four Tesla X model vehicles into the HART HyperLINK program. Donations from these sponsors paid for the entire cost of placing these all-electric vehicles into service in the University Area.  

Recently, HART selected Stantec/Coast Autonomous team to provide Autonomous Mobility Services for the Marion Street Transitway. The Autonomous Shuttle coming to the Marion Street Transitway in early 2018 is funded by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and will be the first implementation in the United States of a driverless transit vehicle on open public streets.    

"The agency's future is bright, its leadership is strong and HART is devoted to delivering best-in-class transit services that connect many communities throughout Hillsborough County," said Eagan. "What HART has been able to achieve in the last three and a half years has been a collective effort reflective of the dedication of the entire HART team."

With a long history of accomplishments and accolades, Ms. Eagan was awarded the Florida Diversity Council's 2016 Powerful and Influential Women award and WTS 2016 Woman of the Year by Women in Transportation Seminar. She was a finalist for the Tampa Bay Business Journals' Businesswoman of the Year award in 2014 and 2016 and the winner in 2016 in the Economic Development category.

Eagan will be taking on a transit leadership role at Port Authority of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, Pa.

The HART Board will select an interim CEO at the December 4th meeting.

HART CEO Honored as "Woman of the Year"

We know we have the best, and now the community does too!

The Tampa Chapter of Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS) has selected HART CEO Katharine Eagan as its "Woman of the Year" award recipient.

WTS is an international organization dedicated to building the future of transportation through the global advancement of women. The Woman of the Year award recognizes leadership in transportation and contributions toward the advancement of women and minorities in transportation. The award was presented as part of WTS-Tampa's Annual Holiday Event on Wednesday, November 16, in Ybor City.

Ms. Eagan, a wife to a wonderful husband and mother of two amazing boys, began her nearly 19-year transit career as a transportation planner. She was appointed to HART CEO in May 2014.

Under her leadership, HART has:

• Established HART HyperLINK, a first-in-the-nation transit-operated rideshare service. 
• Launched the first phase of "Flamingo Fares," a regional fare program, allowing patrons to purchase regional three-day fares on their smartphones.
• Greatly expanded public-private partnerships with entities such as MegaBus, RedCoach, Coast Bike Share, Yellow Cab, and TransDev, and is continuing to pursue partnerships that provide travel options beyond traditional buses.
• Kicked off a paratransit-cab service pilot program that provides HARTPlus patrons same day service for the first time.
• Been awarded ISO-14001 certification in environmental management, the first transit agency in Florida to receive this certification.
• Launched  a farmers' market at its busiest transit center, outside of downtown Tampa.

These milestones and innovations have strengthened the agency's service and helped build bridges to community partners throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Additionally, while the transit industry's average percentage of women employees is about 20%, under Ms. Eagan's management and support, 31% of the entire HART workforce and 43% of its senior management are comprised of women.

Onward and upward! Join Mrs. Eagan and HART on our journey to take public transportation Beyond the Bus!

Touch Tone Phone comes to OneBusAway Tampa!

Two years ago HART launched the revolutionary OneBusAway app that delivers real-time bus arrival information directly to a customer's smart phone, computer, or other Wi-Fi enabled device. Now the system is being further upgraded to include a touch tone feature allowing riders to get real-time information in their preferred way via the app, text or touch tone. 

With the existing SMS text message feature, riders can have OneBusAway information sent directly to their phones by texting HART plus the three or four digit HART bus stop ID number to 41411. If the bus ID number is 4804, for example, the rider would text HART 4804 to 41411. Estimated arrival times for their bus would be sent to them via text within moments.

The new touch tone feature will allow access to OneBusAway from a landline or a basic cell phone that does not have a data plan. That means no data charges or extra fees from phone carriers for texting, and it is an ideal solution for anyone with a visual impairment. Just call 813-452-4OBA (4622).  

As HART Chief Executive Officer Katharine Eagan explains, "This will truly enhance the rider's experience, because they'll have the answers they need right at their fingertips."

   

The GPS-powered system is accessed more than 200,000 times a month to save riders time, effort, and stress while reassuring them of when their bus will arrive.     

Click here to view the OneBusAway Real-Time Arrival Information flier.    

How to get real-time bus arrival information by phone:

1. Call 813-452-4OBA (4622) and listen for the options.
2. To enter a stop number, please press 1 then you will be asked to enter the bus stop ID number, followed by the pound sign.
3. A voice will state the route number, destination information, and the predicted arrival time at that stop.

The caller can get help locating their stop number, save or bookmark their favorite or most frequently used stops, check their most recent stops, or search for a stop by route number. Or they can simply press "0" to receive help.

Real-time bus arrival information via touch tone is the latest in a long list of innovative, customer-centered technologies HART offers through a commitment to superior customer service.

International Transit Driver Appreciation Day

HART Operators help thousands of riders get to work, school or elsewhere safely and on time every day. We make life happen for many residents of Hillsborough County. Celebrate their contributions on Transit Driver Appreciation Day, Wednesday, March 18, with HART and other transit providers across the country!

Driving may seem easy to some, but try doing it for eight hours or more in an extra-large vehicle while you pick up passengers, answer questions, keep on schedule, give directions and more. Then add unpredictable traffic, bad weather conditions and some tight spaces. HART operators handle all this and more every day while helping Hillsborough County residents get where they need to go.

"Our operators do a lot more than just drive buses, vans, and streetcar" said HART Chief Executive Officer Katharine Eagan. "Often they are expected to be all things at all times, trip planner, paramedic and more... all while safely driving a 40-foot bus."

It is a day to acknowledge how difficult driving a bus can be as HART and others salute the operators who have the skills and temperament to do it. This group of men and women are the agency's public ambassadors, representing HART day-in and day-out as they serve their routes.

Come join us at Marion Transit Center on March 18 at 9 a.m. as we hand out goodies and show our appreciation to our operators!

Background

International Transit Driver Appreciation Day began in 2009 when a group of transit riders in Seattle decided it would be a great way to honor the hard-working men and women who safely get us to job
s, stores, schools, etc.

HART One of 5 Transit Agencies to Earn Top Security Honors

HART Maintenance upgrading lights at UATC

HART has earned top honors from the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for its outstanding security program. The prestigious "Gold Standard" designation is bestowed on those agencies that show outstanding dedication and accomplishment by building robust security as measured by the stringent Baseline Assessments for Security Enhancement (BASE).  

"It is an honor to be included in this prestigious list," said HART Chief Executive Officer Katharine Eagan. "It's a real testament not only to the hard work of our safety staff, but also to the 650 professional Operators, maintainers, servicers, technicians, supervisors, and dispatchers who make safety and security their priority every day."

As TSA Acting Administrator Melvin Carraway stated in an official press release, "These agencies are to be commended for their commitment and hard work that this level of achievement requires and for their continued dedication to ensure the security of travelers nationwide."

The BASE program is a comprehensive voluntary review of transit security, developed to help transit systems across the USA increase domain awareness, enhance prevention and protection capabilities, and elevate response preparedness. BASE focuses on multiple categories including agency security plans; security training; drills and exercise programs; public outreach efforts, and background checks.

The TSA conducts BASE reviews every three years. The review examines written processes as well as security procedures that agencies have put into

HART recently participated in a safety drill with HCFR

practice to help keep employees, customers, and facilities safe from terrorist attacks.

HART was honored with the Gold Standard Award in 2011, scoring 98%. During the most recent evaluation in 2014 HART raised that score to 99%.

Staff in the HART Safety and Security Department work closely with Hillsborough County Emergency Management in case of a hurricane or other local emergencies, and they coordinate drills and activities with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tampa Police Department, Tampa Fire and Rescue, and other agencies.

In addition to HART, Virginia Railway Express in Northern Virginia; the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in Washington, DC; the Metropolitan Transit Authority's Long Island Rail Road in New York; and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority in St. Petersburg, FL were also recognized for achieving the Gold Standard.

In addition to these five agencies, there have been 42 others that have previously earned the Gold Standard Award level of security since 2010.

January HART Board Recap: Officers Confirmed, Streetcar Study

Councilman Mike Suarez remains Board Chair

The HART Board of Directors approved the 2015 slate of officers at its regular monthly meeting held on January 5, 2015.

The Nominating Committee met in December to select a slate of officers and committee appointments to be voted on by the full Board. On Monday, the Board confirmed most of the nominating committee's selections, naming Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez for a second full term as Chair. During the interactive voting process of HART Officers, Director Karen Jaroch was nominated as HART Board Vice Chair and Commissioner Sandra Murman as HART Board Secretary. Both were approved and confirmed by the HART Board of Directors. 

Appointments to Other Boards and Committees:

Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. Board
Members: Bryan Crino, Mickey Jacob, Councilman Eddie Vance
Alternates: Wallace Bowers, Councilman Mike Suarez, Karen Jaroch

Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization Board

Member: Josh Burgin
Alternate: Wallace Bowers

Transportation Disadvantaged Coordinating Board

Member: Commissioner Stacy White   

Alternate: Kathleen Shanahan 

Claims and Litigation Committee

Chair: Bryan Crino
Alternate: Kathleen Shanahan   

ADA Committee

Member: Commissioner Sandra Murman
Alternate:  Commissioner Kevin Beckner 

Audit Committee 

Members: C. John Melendez, Karen Jaroch, Wallace Bowers, Councilman Eddie Vance    

Finance, Governance and Administration Committee
Members: Karen Jaroch, Bryan Crino, Commissioner Sandra Murman, Commissioner Kevin Beckner, Councilman Eddie Vance, Kathleen Shanahan, Wallace Bowers
               

Major Projects and Legislative Committee

Members: Commissioner Lesley "Les" Miller, Mickey Jacob, Wallace Bowers, Josh Burgin, Karen Jaroch, Kathleen Shanahan, Councilman Eddie Vance

 

In addition, Chairman Councilman Suarez created an Ad-Hoc HART Board bylaws committee that would meet to review HART Rule of Procedures and Committee structure and schedule.  

Also on the agenda, HART Board approved a motion updating the HART Environmental Policy to ensure full compliance with International Organization for Standardization (IOS) and to reaffirm the agency's commitment to pollution prevention.        

       

Possible alignment using Tampa St. and Florida Ave.

During the meeting, Steve Schukraft, AICP, of HDR Inc., offered a presentation of results from the analysis of an extension of the Streetcar system via various corridors including the Marion Transitway to the Marion Transit Center, as well as scenarios for fleet upgrades. The study explores the potential benefits of creating a modern streetcar extension through the heart of downtown Tampa to the Marion Transit Center. After the presentation several HART Board of Directors discussed HART taking a greater leadership role in the streetcar expansion.        

 

In other matters, the HART Board approved the final Chief Executive Officer's employment agreement. 

Next Regular Board of Directors Meetings 

The HART Regular Board of Directors will take place Monday, February 2, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. at the HART Ybor Office, 1201. E. 7th Ave., in Tampa.

 

Closed captioning from the monthly HART Board of Directors meetings will be posted within 5 - 8 business days on the Hillsborough Television (HTV) website.

Click here to view video recordings from recent HART Board/Committee meetings.