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| The HART BTI Program is HART's most visible infrastructure! |
A bus stop is just a bus stop, right? Just a pole in the
ground. Some stops have a shelter, others don't, some are green, and some are
black. What’s the big deal?
At HART, we recognize that a bus stop isn't just a bus stop. It is a
place where valued customers board and alight vehicles transporting them to
important destinations such as work, school, medical appointments, child care
and more. Which means, most patrons begin their commute at one of our stops.
People depend on us! Consequently, it is our responsibility to ensure the
infrastructure of HART bus stops improve the customer experience, as much as
possible.
Which leads us to the HART Basic Transit Infrastructure
(BTI) program.
With roughly 3,200 HART stops throughout Hillsborough County, the BTI program
is HART's most "visible" infrastructure. The BTI program consists not
only of stops and shelters, but also bus bays, crosswalks, landing pads, and
more.
Of the 2,150 stops, 639 (30% coverage) of those have
shelters.
Let's compare that with our regional peers:
- Charlotte
Area Transit Authority (CATS) - 3,300 stops; 310 shelters (10% coverage)
- Fort
Worth Transit Authority (The T) - 1,794 stops; 76 shelters (4% coverage)
- Pinellas
Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) - 4,822 bus stops; 650 shelters (14%
coverage)
HART is outpacing our regional peers, and we plan to continue to pursue funding for additional infrastructure.
How did we get here? Let's take a look at how the BTI
program is funded.
HART works in collaboration with local jurisdictions,
developers and private property owners to engage in cost sharing opportunities
or establish right-of-way easements for placement of transit infrastructure. An
example of this is when residential or entertainment venues are built, HART
receives "impact fees" to help mitigate the traffic that arises from
the new development. This funding must be spent in the location it was
received. The BTI program also receives 1% of HART's discretionary grant
funding.
In addition to developer fees and grants, HART partners with
Signal Outdoor Advertising to build and maintain shelters, in exchange for ad
placements at the stops. It is through this revolutionary (at the time)
public-private partnership, that HART has been able to build out so many
shelters.
Bus Stop Audit
While we are proud of our shelter coverage, we can always improve.
In 2008, HART conducted a "Bus Stop Study,"
essentially auditing all stops within the HART system. From this study, forged
the effort to bring our grandfathered-in stops to meet the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA).
Roughly 10 years later, HART is looking to conduct another audit of our stops.
This time around, the study will focus on reviewing the conditions of our
shelters (including ADA-accessibility, possibly moving stops, and improving
stop GPS location accuracy for Google Maps, OneBusAway, etc.
Think your HART stop warrants a shelter? Fill out this
online form to
have your stop evaluated.
Mission MAX
Following the robust redesign of the HART network, a number of non-service
stops and shelters are still in place. HART and Signal are aware of these stops
and are working towards finding new homes for current shelters and scrapping
ones that have passed their useful life (10 years).
Maintenance
Continued maintenance (pressure washing shelters, removing trash and debris,
and more) is an important part of the rider experience, especially with
hundreds of patrons visiting shelters daily. However, with a service area the
size of Rhode Island, and a team of less than 10, stop maintenance is a
challenge and HART is working with its partners to implement service
improvements.
We are working industriously to improve!
Signal Outdoor, HART’s partner in shelter maintenance, is hiring another full-time
employee to improve the visual appeal of MetroRapid stations. HART is also
increasing supervisor patrols to identify shelters requiring immediate support.
Despite our efforts, we need the help of our community partners! If you
see a stop or shelter in need of a little TLC, please don't hesitate to
tweet us, send us a message on
Facebook, or email
CustomerService@goHART.org. We
need your eyes on the ground!
National Infrastructure Week
The week of May 14
th is National Infrastructure
Week. Throughout the week, agencies, from airports and seaports, to transit
agencies and utility organizations, are highlighting the importance of
supporting our nation's infrastructure.
Without crucial state and federal funding, HART would face
an even greater challenge to keep our riders protected from the elements and
ultimately, to keep our community moving.
Something to think about the next time you visit a HART bus
stop!
