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.

Regional Transit Feasibility Plan to identify “catalyst project” in Tampa Bay

The RTFP is looking at over 30 years of studies

There has been no shortage of transit studies in the Tampa Bay area in recent years. In fact, over the past 30 years, more than 55 plans and studies for transit have been conducted by Tampa Bay area agencies.

But the question remains: How can we turn planning into projects? Answering this question is the goal of the Regional Transit Feasibility Plan.

Creation of the plan started in November 2016, with a review of those 55 previous plans. After that work is complete, the process will move into creating a plan for a regional transit network, culminating in recommendations for improvements that address needs in the community and have a solid chance of getting funding.

The ultimate goal: identify the top transit corridors in the Tampa Bay region, while determining one “catalyst project” that would be eligible for federal funding and could be implemented first.

The plan is being funded by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and is being administered by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART).

“Our mission is to create a ‘route map’ to implementation,” said Katharine Eagan, Chief Executive Officer of HART, the agency administering the plan. “The result, we hope, will be a catalyst project that’s the first of many projects that will be competitive for federal funding, forward thinking, and makes the best use of today’s technology.”

The Tampa Bay region is defined for this plan as the urbanized areas of Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.

The Regional Transit Feasibility Plan will be conducted in two phases. The first phase consists of a year of technical analysis to identify the most competitive projects. During the first year, the milestones will include identifying the most promising corridors for transit, then identifying what type of transit mode can best serve those corridors, and finally, determining which projects could potentially be implemented first.

How did we get here?

 

 

The starting point for the Regional Transit Feasibility Plan is the adopted county and regional Long Range Transportation Plans and the more than 50 plans and studies completed by Tampa Bay area agencies over the past 30-plus years. The step-by-step process will then determine which projects are the most competitive for implementation.

During phase one, public involvement will be heavily focused on digital communication (website, online surveys, social media, and e-communication) but will also offer many in-person opportunities to get engaged (community workshops, small group meetings, and a stakeholder working group).

Phase two will involve vetting and refining plans for those specific projects to make sure the catalyst project selected is the best project for the region and is supported by the community. During phase two, a wide range of communication tools will be utilized, including public meetings, workshops, special events, the website, social media, town halls, and regional transit forums.

“The simplest way to describe what it takes to build a premium transit project is by answering the following three questions: What is the project? How is it funded? And who is responsible for building and maintaining it?” Eagan said. “During this plan, we will be addressing the first question and identifying possible next steps so the region can move forward with answering questions two and three.”

To learn more about the Regional Transit Feasibility Plan, and to participate in our transit preference survey, visit the project website at www.tbregionaltransit.com.

Comm. Lesley "Les" Miller Named New HART Board Chairperson

Commissioner "Les" Miller named HART Board Chair

At its January 9 meeting, the HART Board of Directors elected Hillsborough County Commissioner Lesley "Les" Miller as the new Chairperson for the year 2017, succeeding Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez.

"I am honored to be chosen by my peers to lead an agency that is dedicated to enhancing transportation services in Hillsborough County," Miller said. "I'm looking forward to serving as chairperson on the HART Board of Directors and will continue our initiatives to improve mobility for all who live, work and visit this county. HART is transforming transportation in the Tampa Bay area."

Other officers elected were Karen Jaroch as Vice Chairperson, Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez as Secretary.

"I am very excited about this new Board leadership. All of the new officers have made many contributions to the success of HART and public transportation in Hillsborough County," said Katharine Eagan, HART Chief Executive Officer. "Their leadership within the HART Board of Directors will continue to be key to delivering the kind of high-quality public transportation customers rely on every day, and continue to better address current and future transportation needs in the Tampa Bay Area."

Commissioner Les Miller was elected to represent District 3 in 2010. Miller previously served as a member of the Florida Senate from 2000-2006 and a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1992-2000. During his time in the Florida Legislature, he served as the Minority Leader for both the House and the Senate. He also was appointed to the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission from 2007-2008 and as a member of the Florida Board of Regents from 1977-1979. Miller also previously served as Associate Vice President and Dean for Students for the University of South Florida, and as the manager of Minority Business Development and Governmental Relations for Tampa General Hospital. Commissioner Miller was appointed to the HART Board of Directors on on July 30, 2014.

The HART officers are elected annually by the Board of Directors and can serve up three consecutive terms. Commissioner Les Miller and the new officers assumed office as of January 9, 2017.

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!

HART Ridership Continues Record Trend

62 consecutive months of over a 1 million trips on HART!

The numbers are in, and HART had a big month for ridership in April, including another month of more than a million trips on HART bus service. The increase continues to be evident in our daily ridership; April 14 saw the greatest daily ridership throughout the month with 53,103 bus trips.

A total of 1,255,932 trips were taken last month, which marks the 62nd consecutive month of serving more than 1 million bus rides; February 2010 was the last month with under 1 million rides. This continues a strong upward ridership trend for HART, with a fifth straight year of record ridership. We've set annual ridership records in 10 of the past 11 years.

"We are extremely pleased that more people are taking advantage of the affordable cost and convenience of our service," said HART Chief Executive Officer Katharine Eagan. "We look forward to these new customers becoming regular riders as they continue to discover all the great benefits of taking transit."
 
Fast facts: 

Last month, April 14 saw the highest daily ridership throughout the month with 53,103 bus trips.

11 days exceeded 50,000 riders

The TECO Line Streetcar System saw an increase of two percent for April and is up four percent for FY2015.

For the month of April, HART logged 20,752 bicycle boardings; an increase of 2.6 percent compared to last year.

HARTFlex ridership was up 3.1 percent from April 2014 and up 6.3 percent for the year.

Year-to-date (FY2014 vs. FY2015), bus ridership is up 2.6 percent; an increase of 230,681 trips compared to the same period last year. Recent statistics from the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) Transit Savings Report indicate that the average annual savings for public transit riders was $9,394. Individuals who ride public transportation instead of driving can also save, on average, more than $783 a month.

These savings are based on the cost of commuting by public transportation compared to the cost of owning and driving a vehicle, which in this APTA Transit Saving Report includes the April 27, 2015 average national gas price ($2.54 per gallon- reported by AAA), and the national unreserved monthly parking rate numbers.

HART is hiring new Bus Operators, Fleet Mechanic, Finance Assistant TVM, and many other great job opportunities. If you are interested please visit: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/gohart/default.cfm.

HART sees big ridership growth in December

HART ridership continued to be strong in December with 1.27 million boardings, an increase of 5.7 percent from last year. Fiscal year to date ridership is 4.1 percent ahead of the same period last year with HART on track to exceed over 15 million boardings in FY2015. All this, while gas prices are the lowest in six years! The most recent ridership report shows total passenger trips for December reached 1,272,735. That's 69,006 more riders choosing HART to get around Hillsborough County in December 2014 compared to the same month last year. 2014 was a critical year for HART with record ridership, further recognition of its innovative transit system and new community partnerships. Ridership gains and system improvements continue to be fueled by efforts to position HART as a better way to travel around Hillsborough County.   "Just as our current passengers are using our service more, we continue to attract new passengers with service and amenities that are increasingly relevant and attractive," said HART Chief Executive Officer Katharine Eagan. "Public transit in Hillsborough County continues to improve, and I encourage people who haven't been on a bus lately to give it a try."     Fast facts:  December 3 saw the greatest daily ridership throughout the month with 58,662 riders picking HART!  14 days exceeded 50,000 riders. MetroRapid ridership was 49,584 up 8.3 percent from December 2013 and up 2.8 percent (149,506) for the year. Year-to-date (FY2014 vs. FY2015), bus ridership is up 4.1 percent; an increase of 155,170 trips compared to the same period last year.   The following routes are our highest percentage gainers so far in FY2015,* showing that added investment in public transit pays off with more riders:    Route 46 (Downtown Tampa/Brandon via Causeway Blvd.): +140.5 percent increase (Removed from Davis Islands and extended in Brandon to Dover Rd. + midday service added.)  Route 57 (UATC/Temple Terrace/Netp@rk Transfer Center via Temple Temple Terrace): +25.4 percent increase (Saturday service added) Route 37 (Brandon/Netp@rk Transfer Center via Grand Regency Plaza): +17.5 percent increase (Sunday service added) Route 6 (Downtown Tampa to University Area Transit Center via 56th St.): +14.6 percent increase (Frequency increased in the midday from 30 to 20 minutes) (*Each of these routes were enhanced in FY2014.) For all-things HART, including OneBusAway, Real-time Arrival Information via Text Message, trip planning, schedules, maps and fares, just visit www.goHART.org.

HART Bus Ridership Continues Strong Growth!

HART ridership is up once again! HART is delivering more than 52,000 trips a day! November continued the agency's run of strong ridership growth. November marked another month of more than 1 million in bus ridership. The most recent ridership report shows total passenger trips in November reached 1,185,748. That's 6,981 more riders choosing HART to get around Hillsborough County in November 2014 compared to the same month last year.   November 5 saw the greatest daily ridership throughout the month with 58,662 riders picking HART!     On average each weekday HART is delivering more than 52,000  passenger trips on its growing network of buses. "As ridership continues to grow, so does the need to expand service to keep pace with the growing demands of the county," said HART Chief Executive Officer Katharine Eagan. "We are pleased to see a steady increase in ridership during the first quarter of FY2015."     Fast facts:  November 2014 ridership marked 6,981 more trips than the same month last year.   13 days exceeded 50,000 riders. MetroRapid ridership was 42,609. Year-to-date (FY2014 vs. FY2015), bus ridership is up 3.4 percent; an increase of 86,164 trips compared to the same period last year.  The top five average weekday ridership routes in FY2015, showing that public transit use remains strong in significant areas of Hillsborough County: Route 1 (Downtown to University Area Transit Center via Florida Avenue): 1.8 percent increase Route 6 (Downtown to University Area Transit Center via 56th Street): 14.6 percent increase Route 12 (Downtown to University Mall/University Area Transit Center via 22nd Street): 8.2 percent increase Route 34 (Northwest Transfer Center to Netp@rk Transfer Center via Hillsborough Ave.): 3.8 percent increase Route 39 (Town 'N Country/Citrus Park to Netp@ark Transfer Center via Busch Boulevard): 5.7 percent increase For the month of November, bicycle boardings in Hillsborough County saw a 3.2  percent increase over last year's numbers. HART logged 18,432 boardings compared to 17,641 last year.   For all-things HART, including OneBusAway, Real-time Arrival Information via Text Message, trip planning, schedules, maps and fares, just visit www.goHART.org.