Route of the Week: Route 34

With a diverse service area roughly the size of Rhode Island, Hillsborough County provides a great mix of urban, suburban and rural destinations for our riders. Think about the destinations that you can see and experience with the HART transportation network!

Route 34 operates between NWTC and Netp@rk

This week, we feature Route 34 as the Route of the Week!

Route 34 operates 7 days a week between Northwest Transfer Center and Netp@rk Transfer Center. Service operates Weekdays from 4:50 a.m. - 12:05 a.m. and on Weekends from 6:00 a.m. - 9:25 p.m.

Route 34 is currently the third busiest HART route, and our busiest east-west route. Roughly 620,000 rides have been taken so far in FY2016!

Operating mostly along Hillsborough Avenue, Route 34 serves parts of Town 'N Country, Seminole Heights, and East Tampa, providing residents with a healthy set of restaurant and entertainment options.

Here are some highlights:

Credit: Ichicoro Ramen

Once a blighted area, Seminole Heights has turned into a growing culinary and leisure destination. In terms of food, the area is a mix of culinary styles from fresh Mexican food at the original Taco Bus, to elevated American comfort food (Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe,) and ramen, rice bowls, etc. (Ichicoro Ramen).

Those looking for Happy Hour, will want to check out the Independent Bar and Cafe, offering 14 taps of craft beer with a cafe menu, and Red Star Rock Bar, with live music on Friday and Saturday nights!

Those looking for family fun in Town 'N Country have quite a few options to check out as well:

• Skateworld of Tampa features arcade games, laser tag, bounce houses, and a skating rink
• Pin Chasers Veterans is a 40-lane bowling alley feature pool, darts, etc.
• Northwest Family YMCA features a swimming pool, along with basketball, football, and soccer!
• Twistee Treat serves up ice cream scoops, sundaes, malts, and hot dogs!

Other Route 34 destinations include:

• Everest University - Students receive 25% off a 31-day pass
  
• Erwin Technical College - Students receive 25% off a 31-day pass
  
• Yummy House China Bistro
• Sanwa Farmer's Market
• United Skates of America

Riders can transfer to Routes 1,2,5,6,7,9,12,14,15,16,18,30,32,36,37,39,41,45,57,61LX, and MetroRapid from Route 34.

From Ella's to Everest University, HART Takes You There.

Route of the Week: MetroRapid

MetroRapid N-S is $2.00 one-way; $4.00 all-day

With a diverse service area roughly the size of Rhode Island, Hillsborough County provides a great mix of urban, suburban and rural destinations for our riders. Think about the destinations that you can see and experience with the HART transportation network!

The blog goes GREEN this week, as MetroRapid North-South is our featured Route of the Week!

Launched in 2013, MetroRapid was the first public transit service of its kind in Florida. The service features fewer stops, high frequency, and advanced technology, such as Transit Signal Priority, to help travelers get to their destinations quickly and conveniently. MetroRapid also features new, modern stations with off-board vending and bike racks.

MetroRapid operates every 15 minutes between Marion Transit Center and University Area Transit Center, with service every 30 minutes out to the Hidden River Regional Park-n-Ride. Riders can catch the lime green service Monday-Friday from 5:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

One of the best parts about the service? It is priced the SAME as local fixed-route service - $2.00 one-way; $4.00 for an all-day pass!

USF Riverfront Park houses a ropes course

University of South Florida (USF) students will LOVE that MetroRapid is included in the HART U-Pass program, where USF students ride FREE with their valid student ID! MetroRapid serves the Tampa campus with 4 stations along Fletcher Ave. The Claw at USF and Lettuce Lake Park are served by these stops as well. MetroRapid North-South also provides a valuable connection to the USF Riverfront Park, where Students and Alumni can kayak, play disc golf, etc.

Hungry from the Ropes Course and disc golf? MetroRapid serves Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe, The Mermaid Tavern, and two local landmarks, in the original Taco Bus, and Three Coins Diner. Comfort food, traditional Mexican, and more, just a short ride away.

Work in Hidden River/Telecom Park area? MetroRapid serves both corporate centers with 9 stops, including our Hidden River Regional Park-n-Ride. The Park-n-Ride lot provides FREE parking for Pasco County/New Tampa (among others) commuters heading to work in Downtown Tampa. MetroRapid provides a roughly 15% travel-times savings along the corridor.

Interesting in commuting to Downtown via MetroRapid? Ask your employer if they participate in our Corporate Transit Program! Federal law entitles all U.S. employers to a completely tax-deductible business expense of up to $255 per employee per month toward the cost of using public transportation. Call 813-384-6434 to inquire about participating.

From kayaking, to studying, HART Takes You There.

MetroRapid N-S operates between Marion Transit Center and Hidden River Regional Park-n-Ride

Route of the Week: Route 9

With a diverse service area roughly the size of Rhode Island, Hillsborough County provides a great mix of urban, suburban and rural destinations for our riders. Think about the destinations that you can see and experience with the HART transportation network!

Today we're traveling between University Area Transit Center (UATC) and Marion Transit Center (MTC) on Route 9, our Route of the Week!

Route 9 operates 7 days a week, with weekday service from 4:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. and weekend service from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Residential makes up a good portion of Route 9, and 5 public parks are served along the route. This emphasis on recreation areas, makes Route 9 the PERFECT route for summer days!

Copeland Park is accessible via Route 9 at 15th St./109th Ave.

Copeland Park will host a City of Tampa Summer Camp. Students will be able to play games and sports, make arts and crafts, go on field trips and more! Hop off Route 9 at 15th St. and 109th Ave.

Other parks along Route 9 include: Cuscaden Park (soccer fields/picnic area/playground), McDugald Park (baseball field/playground), Rowlett Park (trails/ball fields/picnic area/playground/racquet ball and tennis courts) and Sulphur Springs Park (pool/grill area/playground/volleyball).

Golfers will appreciate service to Rogers Park Golf Course. Opened in 1952, the public golf course features 18 holes over 160 acres, and is surrounded by the Hillsborough River on 3 sides. Let Route 9 chauffeur you to the course!

Hunger building after a day on the links? Route 9 serves a variety of awesome eats.

Original Taco Bus is a short walk from Route 9!

From one bus, to another. The bus that started all the fuss, the original Taco Bus is a short walk from the Route 9. Tortas, burritos, and quesadillas, oh my!

Tacos and tortas not your thing? Continue your trip a little farther south to the Ybor area. La Segunda Bakery has one of the best Cuban sandwiches in town (which is saying something). Spaghetti Warehouse for Italian, New World Brewery for lunchtime BBQ or late-night pizza, and The Bricks for eclectic food, such as the Elvis, featuring peanut butter, bananas, and bacon.

Route 9 connects to 3 transfer locations: UATC, Yukon Transfer Center, and MTC, which means you can connect to almost every route within the HART system!

From tortas, to trails, HART Takes You There.

Route 9 operates from UATC to MTC via 15th St.

Route of the Week: Route 2

With a diverse service area roughly the size of Rhode Island, Hillsborough County provides a great mix of urban, suburban and rural destinations for our riders. Think about the destinations that you can see and experience with the HART transportation network!

This week, we take a trip down Nebraska Ave. along the Route 2!

Route 2 was one of the 1st routes to extend to midnight/weekend

Route 2 operates from Downtown Tampa to the University of South Florida area via Nebraska Ave. The route provides Monday-Sunday service with weekday hours from 4:25 a.m. - 12:15 a.m. and weekend hours from 5:15 a.m. - 12:15 a.m.

The More You Know. The Route 2 corridor has historically been known for its transit roots. Service along the corridor dates back to the old Tampa Bus Company and before that, streetcars operated throughout the area. Fast forward over 50 years, and route 2 was actually the first HART route to go over 1 million annual passengers.

Operating along one of Tampa's oldest corridors, Route 2 serves a number of historical sites, including: Union Station (with connections to Amtrak,) the Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library, Centro Asturiano De Tampa, Perry Harvey, Sr. Park (recently remodeled), the Sulphur Springs Pool and the Tampa Greyhound Track.

Taco Bus is only a short walk from the Route 2!

Nebraska Ave. has grown steadily over the years as a hot spot, beginning with Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe's inception in 2009. Other destinations in the area along Route 2 include: The Mermaid Tavern, Southern Brewing and Winemaking and of course Taco Bus (no relation).

The Route 2 terminates northbound at the University Area Transit Center, with connections to 12 different routes, including MetroRapid N-S and the USF Bull Runner.

From a Bull Runner bus, to Taco Bus, HART Takes You There.

Route 2 destinations