HART Ridership up 6% in July 2013!

Another month, another ridership gain for HART!

The numbers are in, and HART had another strong month for ridership in July with 1,181,409 total trips during the month, a 6 percent increase compared to July 2012.

 

"These are exciting times at HART, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to provide dependable service to a growing number of riders each and every month," said HART Chief Operating Officer Katharine Eagan.

Fast facts: 

MetroRapid launched June 10, 2013

• MetroRapid ridership in July was 41,822   
• July 8 saw the greatest ridership throughout the month with 49,332 riders choosing HART 
• Year-to-date (October 2012 - July 2013), bus ridership is up 2.9 percent; an increase of 344,782 trips, compared to the same period last year  
• Average weekday was 44,847; up 3.1 percent over July 2012
• Monthly bus ridership has been on the rise for the last 7 consecutive months 

  

August 2013 Service Changes

Effective Sunday, August 18, HART will make modifications to bus service for MetroRapid North-South and routes 9, 37, and 47LX.

Summary of route modifications:

• MetroRapid North-South: Route permanently moved from Marion Street Transitway to Morgan Street between Marion Transit Center and Kennedy Boulevard and Jackson Street. Minor schedule adjustments. Schedule
• Route 9: 15th Street - Weekday route extended by one-hour to last trip at 8:45 PM (Northbound) and 9:00 PM (Southbound). Schedule
• Route 37: Brandon/Netpark - Weekday route extended by one-hour to last trip at 9:05 PM (Westbound) and 8:05 PM (Eastbound). Schedule 
• Route 47LX: Southshore Limited Express - Minor time changes in first northbound trip in order to provide improved connections at Marion Transit Center. Schedule 

These service changes were made for cost-effectiveness, to streamline route schedules and adjust to ridership trends.

View flier 

For complete information and to view schedules for each modified route, visit www.goHART.org, or call HART Customer Service at 813-254-HART (4278).

 

 

Party Like a (Responsible) Pirate

Hop aboard with your crew and
let the streetcar steer you to all the Gasparilla fun.

The pirate lads and lasses are donning their gear, and the scene is set for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Invasion and Parade to take place this Saturday, January 25th.

If you plan on joining the half-million or so other revelers in downtown Tampa or along Bayshore Boulevard, here are some tips to help make getting there a little easier.

Start with the Streetcar
Let's get this out of the way right off the bat: unless your great-aunt Mildred has a house off Bayshore and will graciously let you stash your car in her driveway, parking in the neighborhoods near the parade route is an absolute no-no. As in, they'll tow your car away - no really, they will.

So if great-aunt Mildred isn't an option, your next-best bet is to make riding the TECO Line Streetcar System part of your day of fun!

Here's your first tip: downtown lots and garages will fill up fast, so try parking in Ybor City and hop aboard the streetcar. There are a number of stations that serve the streetcar system along 8th Avenue, and all of them are an easy walk from the Ybor City parking facilities. Please note that if you ABSOLUTELY want to ride the streetcar, boarding at Centennial Park (station #1) is your best bet. Otherwise, continuous HART bus service will be available (for $4) at Streetcar Society and Cadrecha Plaza stations. From there, we'll drop you off at Greco Plaza, next to the Tampa Convention Center and right in the middle of the Gasparilla activities.


All aboard! Next stop Gasparilla!

Another important tip to remember if the streetcar is part of your plans - you'll need to pick up a farecard at one of the Ticket Vending Machines along the route before you board. You can pay by cash or credit card at the machines. If you have questions, HART team members will be out in force to help you navigate the Gasparilla transportation scene.

We stress that you bring small bills (exact change is only provided at Ticket Vending Machines, streetcar motormen and HART bus operators do not provide change).

For the whole scoop on parking locations, rates and other info, check out the parking page on the City of Tampa's website here.

Rubber-wheel it!
Here's another tip to enjoy the Gasparilla festivities: Rubber-wheel it on the HART In-Town Trolley to access even more fun going on throughout downtown Tampa.

The rubber-wheeled In-Town Trolley will be on detour Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the parade and Pirate Fest, and to try some of the wonderful bars and restaurants (ahem, Taco Bus) that have been popping up downtown. You can use the rubber-wheeled trolley to connect to the TECO Line Streetcar System at Dick Greco Plaza near the Tampa Convention Center and take your pirate crew to Channelside and Ybor. It's as if the whole city is at your beck and call (and why not, you are a pirate, aren't you?).

Hop on the Bus, Gus
If you'd prefer to skip the driving altogether, we have a tip for you, too: HART will be running regular bus service on several routes that serve downtown, including Route 7, Route 19 and Route 30, so you can get to the party without any parking hassle at all. Just be sure to note that these routes end service mid-evening, so you'll want to plan your return trip accordingly.

By the way, for you northwest Tampa/Town 'n' Country folks, as well as our pirate-loving friends in Pinellas County, here's a really great tip - park for FREE at the HART Northwest Transfer Center (map here) and ride Route 30 all the way into downtown. How pirate-licious is that?

Make your pirate party fun and safe with HART and
the TECO Line Streetcar System!

And here's the most important tip of all: never, ever drink and drive. Responsible pirate partiers make sure everyone in their crew makes it back to home port safe and sound.

Check out the links below for more info, and have a fun - and safe - Gasparilla.

Click here for HART and TECO Line Streetcar  service during Gasparilla info.

For a map of HART and TECO Line Streetcar services in and around downtown during Gasparilla, click here.

To get more details on all the Gasparilla activities, go to the official event website here.

2012 Ridership Up 3%, Highest Annual Ridership in HART History!

14,414,008 rides in 2012! December bus ridership numbers are in, closing out 2012 at 14,414,008 million, a 3.4 percent increase compared to 2011 and the highest in HART history! 2012 bus ridership marks nearly 500,000 more bus trips than 2011. HART also saw record ridership for the fiscal year ending in October. In 2012, two months set monthly bus ridership records: In March, ridership reached 1,278,876, the highest monthly ridership in HART history. This record was surpassed in October when ridership reached 1,344,854, the first time HART monthly ridership marked more than 1.3 million. Some bus routes have demonstrated double-digit ridership growth over the past year,* showing that public transit use is up across all areas of Hillsborough County: Route 16 (Waters Avenue, between Northeast Tampa and Town 'N Country): 20 percent increase Route 31 (Brandon to SouthShore via Gibsonton/Apollo Beach): 19 percent increase Route 41 (Sligh Avenue, between West Tampa and NetPark): 17 percent increase Route 10 (Cypress Street, between Downtown Tampa to Social Security Administration, near Westshore): 12 percent increase Route 37 (Brandon to Netpark via Grand Regency Plaza): 12 percent increase (*January - November 2012) For more information about HART, visit www.goHART.org or call 813-273-4278.

Answering Your Questions

Thank you to our HART customers who attended the public hearing on Wednesday, which is required as part of the application HART filed for federal funding.

We received some comments during the hearing that we would like to address.

Bikes on Buses

For instance, a comment was made about bicycle racks on the bus. The front of each bus comes equipped with racks for two bicycles, and if the rack is full, customers must be prepared to wait for the next bus or choose a safe location to lock up their bicycle. This is not new, but the increased use of these bicycle racks means more customers may be waiting for the next bus.

HART has previously tested racks that have room for three bicycles. However, this was considered a safety hazard because it increased the length of the bus and limited its turn radius. HART drivers already manage some tight turns throughout Hillsborough County’s 1,100 square miles, and bus routes are carefully planned to make sure all turns on a route allow for a safe turning radius.

But, there is a silver lining! In November 2011, bicycle racks were installed on all HARTFlex vans and folding bicycles are now permitted on all buses and HARTFlex vans. Lastly, MetroRapid North-South will open to the public in early 2013, and medium and large MetroRapid stations will feature bicycle racks so customers have a safe and convenient place to lock up their bicycles.

Route 15

Some other questions were asked about Route 15, a popular route that saw 16 percent growth in 2011 compared to the previous year. Some customers present at the meeting suggested removing the International Plaza stop on Route 15 to add more time to the route. However, keep in mind that ridership numbers indicate that this stop is among our top 5 percent in bus stop activity (pick-ups and drop-offs).

Bus Stops

Other residents had questions about what factors are considered to remove, relocate or add bus stops. HART has a program in place to make a route-by-route assessment of all bus stops to make sure they meet, most importantly, ADA standards, as well as spacing standards to help maximize the efficiency of bus schedules. HART also considers the unique circumstances of each site, including convenience of passenger transfers to other routes, open and visible spaces for personal security and passenger visibility, protected crossings at signalized or stop-controlled intersections, among others. Bus stops are usually spaced about 750-1,250 feet apart.

Because of this bus stop improvement program, in FY2010, 113 shelters were installed and 79 bus stops were upgraded; in FY2011, 50 shelters were installed and 218 bus stops were upgraded. More shelters are planned for installation over the next year, including for Routes 6, 34 and 39. This is good news for HART customers who seek protection from the sometimes harsh weather elements of this area.

Have any questions that you want answered? Leave them in the comments section below and we'll get on them. If it's a common question, we'll probably address in a blog post like this!

Top Wishes for 2012: A Fun Look Ahead

With the New Year approaching, you're probably being bombarded with lists and resolutions and well this is no different.  We lack a crystal ball, but with a notepad and casual conversation, we've come up with our Top 12 Wishes of 2012.

Top story doesn't involve Gov. Scott

Our list begins (in no particular order) with arguably the top local transit story of 2011 and here is a hint, it doesn't involve Governor Rick Scott.

1.  No more Robin Hoods

Quick summary: Back in April, a local man allegedly robs a Wachovia bank and uses a HART bus as his getaway vehicle.  The story gets more interesting, when the man begins handing out the stolen cash (Robin Hood-style) to patrons on the bus. A HART supervisor calls the operator to report the criminal on the bus. The operator announces a "mechanical failure" on the bus and pulls over, where deputies are waiting for the robber.

Moral of the story? Next time pay off the driver. We kid, we kid.

In case you're interested in the full story.

Let's leave the crazy with Cee-Lo in 2012.

2.  No more Platt St. Bridge closure

Who knew we'd miss the bridge so much - we get dirty looks on Kennedy.  January can't come soon enough!

Photo credit: Michael Esser, Boss Magazine

3.  Va-va Voom! More photo shoots like this one...

Boss Magazine recently held a photo shoot with a pair of lovely ladies on the ol' Birney streetcar and he can't stop talking about them. Fulfill his wish - more (camera) action.

4.  Economy turns around

Who doesn't want this one? We need money! When home values drop, our funding goes down... big time.

And on that note...

5.  Win the lottery

Goes hand-in-hand with #4. Service enhancements cost money, which we're currently lacking. In the past, we've mentioned researching possible alternative funding sources. Want to know what we've come up with? Powerball! Have you seen those payouts? That's demonstration line money.

Don't worry though, even if we don't hit the lotto, we're still here to serve you!

6.  HARTline finally dies

R.I.P. HARTline and "motion sickness" color scheme

We started phasing out the HARTline name in 2005, and re branded to HART to reflect our multi-modal system.  We embrace our past but the purple, red, and green is gone. Those days are over... We hope 2012 is the year we finally become just HART.

Sidenote: You can't do much with that color combination. We believe the combo was called "motion sickness".

7.  Drivers yielding to buses

Remember to yield to buses, it's the LAW - as in a fine and possible jail time. If a bus is attempting to pull out of a bus bay, you MUST allow them back into traffic. Either that, or you're probably rear-ending the bus.  We've seen it happen - not pretty.

8.  Stay off the tracks!

Driver of car didn't see stop sign.  Photo credit: Don Lamison

We're not sure how some individuals can maneuver their vehicles onto parts of the TECO Line Streetcar tracks, and into the way of the streetcar, but they do.  We know some people aren't use to the yielding to trains or train tracks (it is Florida, after all). However, after almost 10 years of service and signs at all crossings, it's kind of hard to excuse.

The only driver on the tracks should be the motorman. Give up the keys and take a seat, we can always use the entertainment. 

9.  Entering and exiting

We hope more people enter the front and exit the rear... on the bus we mean. You know, the rear - on the bus - blocks the doorways when riders are headed in both directions.

10.  FTA Weight Regulations

We hope the FTA doesn't have to raise the assumed passenger weight for passenger capacity regulations again. It means less passengers allowed on the bus at one time.

Not sure what they're looking at though, considering studies have shown that transit riders are 3 times more likely to get the recommended 30 minutes of daily physical activity.

 11.  More people "occupying" the Streetcar

If you want to occupy something, occupy the streetcar. We could always use more ridership.

And finally...

12.  More eyes reading this blog

For those that read the blog regularly, we thank you! If you like the content, please don't hesitate to share it with your friends, families, co-workers, pets, etc. Sometimes it feels like we're a comedian playing a Bar Mitzvah. Is this thing on? 

Have a happy and safe New Year from all of us at HART!

Freedom Riders

It all started on a bus...

If you’re younger than 50, you most likely don’t remember a time of “Whites Only” water fountains, and “black” and “white” student segregation. Racial tension filled the late 50's/early 60's air as “blacks” (and “non-blacks”) stood up for their civil rights given to them by the Constitution.

Fifty years ago, more than 400 “black” and “white” students risked their lives – socially and physically – simply by taking a stand and deliberately breaking Jim Crowe laws by traveling together through the Deep South on buses and trains. Following Dr. Martin Luther King’s call for non-violent protests, the Freedom Riders were greeted along the way with savage beatings and imprisonment. After a courageous six months, the Interstate Commerce Commission issued its order to end segregation in bus and rail stations on September 22, 1961.

Award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson brings to Tampa, Freedom Riders, an inspirational story of those six months in 1961 that changed America forever. WEDU is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the Freedom Rides with a free event and premiere screening of Freedom Riders at the Tampa Theater on Wednesday, April 13, at 7 pm.

HART is proud to be a sponsor of the event, and in honor of the original Freedom Rides, HART is conducting a “Freedom Ride” of sorts. HART is inviting Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Students interested in history, specifically the Civil Rights Movement, to join us on a bus tour looking at historic landmarks of the Civil Rights Movement in Tampa. A HART bus will pick up 30 HCC students at the HCC Ybor City Campus Performing Arts Center on Palm Ave. at 5:30 pm, the day of the event.

Clarence Fort, former President of the NAACP Youth Council, who led the first Tampa sit-ins in 1956 and fought for the first “black” Tampa Bus Operators, will provide insight into the Civil Rights Movement as Tampa experienced it. The tour will end at the Tampa Theater in time for the event. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet several of the original Freedom Riders.

For a short (5 min.) video on the role transit played locally in the Civil Rights Movement, please click here.
For more information on the film "Freedom Riders" please visit www.wedu.org/freedomriders.