The HART HCC Semester Pass Has Flocked to Flamingo Fares!

Welcome back, Hillsborough Community College (HCC) Hawks! The HART HCC Semester Pass has migrated to Flamingo Fares.

HCC students can purchase a full semester pass for only $110. The pass provides students with four months of rides for roughly the price of two! HCC students can now purchase a pass at all HCC Bookstores or by bringing their Student ID to the Customer Service window at the Marion Transit Center or University Area Transit Center for verification of HCC status

Upon boarding, simply tap your Flamingo Fares card on the Flamingo reader and wait for a green check.

Please note: The HCC Semester Pass is NOT valid on HARTPlus service. 

First time riding HART? 

Make sure you Ride with Respect to maintain a great experience for everyone on board! 

New to public transportation? HART Travel Training is a GREAT way to learn the ropes of riding public transportation. The service is FREE with trainers providing step-by-step instructions on how to understand the HART system (reading a map, signage, etc.) and figure out the best route that will take you to your destination.

Hop on HART this School Year!

Welcome back, students! Another semester is here. If you're planning on using HART this school year, below is a quick reference guide on connecting to HART and the special fares available from your school.

What is HART?

Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART) is the public transportation service provider for Hillsborough County. HART serves Hillsborough County's employees, residents and visitors with bus, and van services. HART also operates the FREE 2.7-mile TECO Line Streetcar System, serving the restaurants, attractions and other entertainment venues of Ybor City, the Channel District and downtown Tampa.

HART Adult Student Fare program:

Schools participating in the HART Adult Student Fare program sell HART fare cards to their students for a 25% discount. Students can purchase a 31-Day Local Adult Student Fare Card for only $48.75 (normally $65) at their respective schools by showing their valid student ID. Please note, the adult student discount is not applicable if the pass is purchased at traditional HART sales outlets.

Click here for a listing of participating schools.

What's a fare card worth, if you can't connect to your school?

Luckily, HART has you covered with multiple routes connecting to over 20 colleges in Hillsborough County. Below, you'll find a listing of some of the schools that HART serves with bus, van, and streetcar services.

University of South Florida (USF)

USF Students ride HART FREE!

The following HART routes serve the USF area:

• MetroRapid (Route 400) - UATC/Fletcher Ave.
• Route 1 - Florida Ave.
• Route 5 - 40th St.
• Route 6 - 56th St.
• Route 9 - 15th St.
• Route 12 - 22nd St.
• Route 33 - Fletcher Ave.
• Route 42 - UATC
• Route 44 - UATC
• Route 45- UATC
• Route 48 - Fowler Ave./56th St./Morris Bridge
• Route 275LX - Bruce B. Downs Blvd./UATC

Students ride FREE on MetroRapid, HART Local, Limited Express and Flex routes with valid student ID. Faculty and staff ride for just 50¢.

For information on the U-Pass program, click here.

Hillsborough Community College (HCC)

We have a number of routes serving the HCC campuses throughout the county:

• Dale Mabry campus - Route(s) 7, 36
• Brandon campus - Route 37
• SouthShore campus - Route 31, HARTFlex South County
• Ybor City campus - Route(s) 5, 9, 12, the FREE TECO Line Streetcar

HCC Semester Pass: HCC students can purchase the HCC Semester Pass, providing over 4 months of unlimited rides on HART for just $110 - roughly 50% off! The Semester Pass can be purchased at all HCC Bookstores or by bringing your HCC Student ID to the Marion Transit Center or University Area Transit Center. The HCC Semester Pass is now a part of Flamingo Fares.

Students can also purchase a 31-Day Local Adult Student Fare Card for $48.75 at the bookstores of HCC's Dale Mabry, Brandon and Ybor City campuses.

 

UT students receive a 25% discount on 31-day passes

University of Tampa (UT)

HART serves UT via the following routes:

• Route 7 - West Tampa/Citrus Park
• Route 10 - Cypress St.
• Route 30 - Town 'N Country/Airport

Plan your school commute with HART

Your best bet is the HART Trip Planner. Simply type in your starting and endpoints, arrival time/date, hit "get directions," and let the planner do the rest.

Real-time HART arrival information and trip planning are also available with the OneBusAway Tampa app!

HART Travel Training 

The first Travel Training ride is FREE!

Need some assistance in getting started? HART Travel Training is a GREAT way to learn the ropes of riding public transportation. The service is FREE with trainers providing step-by-step instructions on how to understand the HART system (reading a map, signage, etc.) and figure out the best route that will take you to your destination.

You can call the HARTinfo line at 813-254-4278 to get started!

Have a GREAT semester!

HART FY2018 System Redesign: South Tampa and Westshore

The July 26th Public Hearing is less than a week away! Still unsure how the proposed FY2018 system redesign affects your area? Stick with us as we breakdown the changes for South Tampa and the Westshore area.

If you are not aware, HART is undergoing a major system redesign, in which EVERY route will be affected in some way.

Map of the proposed FY2018 system redesign for South Tampa/Westshore

Summary of Changes:

• Service Additions: 

• Route 11: Proposed new service from Downtown to Main St., Spruce St. and International Plaza, with new stops.
• Route 17: Proposed new service would cover part of Route 19 from Britton Plaza Transfer Center to O’Brien/Idaho.
  
• Route 60LX: Proposed all-day service would provide hourly service between Brandon Mall, Downtown Tampa. Tampa International Airport, and Northwest Transfer Center.
  
• Route 275LX: Proposed all-day service would provide hourly service between University Area Transit Center, Downtown Tampa, and Tampa International Airport. 
• Route 360LX: Proposed all-day service would provide hourly connections between Westfield Brandon Mall, Downtown Tampa, Britton Plaza and MacDill Air Force Base. Combined with 60LX service, 30 minute LX service would exist from Westfield Brandon to Downtown Tampa.

• Route 4:
  
  • Downtown/South Tampa: Route 4 would be removed and replaced by Route 19, from Marion Transit Center to Britton Plaza Transfer Center.
  • South Tampa: Route 4 would be replaced by new all-day limited express route (360LX), which would operate between Britton Plaza to MacDill AFB. redesigned Route 19 would cover portions of Route 4. 
  • South Tampa would also be served by HARTFlex.
• Route 7:
  • Would now operate between Downtown and HCC-Dale Mabry campus. Connections from HCC to Citrus Park would be provided on Routes 36 and 39.
  • Hyde Park: Route would shift from Howard/Armenia to North Blvd. via
    Columbus Ave. Route 14 would serve Howard/Armenia to Swann Ave.
  • West Tampa Transfer Center: Route would no longer enter the Transfer Center.

• Route 14:
  
  • Route would increase frequency to every 30 minutes on weekdays.
  • Hyde Park: Route would run down Howard/Armenia to Swann Ave. North Blvd. stops would be served by Route 7.
  • Route 30/Kennedy Blvd. would provide access to the Marion Transit Center.
  • Overall: Weekday/Weekend service would operate 6 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Sunday service would be added.

• Route 15:
  
  • East Tampa: Eastern end of the route would run from Columbus Dr. north to Netp@rk Transfer Center on 50th St., with new stops. Route would no longer serve Orient Road Jail.
   
• Route 17: Route will utilize Manhattan Ave.
  

• Route 19:
  
  • Downtown: Route would shift from Transitway to Florida Ave./Tampa St.
  • Hyde Park: Route would shift slightly from Cleveland to Swann Ave. after serving Tampa General Hospital.
  • South Tampa: The route would end at Britton Plaza Transfer Center.

• Route(s) 24LX/25LX:
  
  • Routes would operate with similar schedule with added stops in Downtown Tampa.
• Route 30:
  • Downtown: Minor route shift from Transitway to Florida Ave./Tampa St. 
  • Airport: Route would run from downtown/Marion Transit Center to Tampa International Airport. New Route 60LX would provide service to the Northwest Transfer Center.
• Route 32:
  • West Tampa: Route would no longer use the West Tampa Transfer Center. Transfers would take place on Dale Mabry Hwy.
  • Orient Park: Route would no longer shift onto Broadway.
  • Route would be expanded to operate between Netp@rk Transfer Center and Tampa International Airport. Service from Netp@rk Transfer Center to the Mango Walmart would be provided by the new Route 38.
• Route 36:
  
  • South Tampa: Route would provide service to Britton Plaza Transfer Center. New all-day 360LX would serve Britton Plaza to MacDill AFB hourly.
• Route 45:
  • East Tampa/University Area: Route would serve Yukon Transfer center, and run on 15th St. between Linebaugh Ave. and University Area Transit Center.
  • North Tampa: Route would run on Florida Ave., between Waters and Linebaugh.
  • Carrollwood: Route would shift from Himes Ave. to Dale Mabry Hwy.
  • University Area: HyperLINK service available within the zone.
• HARTFlex South Tampa:
  • HARTFlex South Tampa is being adjusted north to Cypress to cover part of the current Route 10.

South Tampa and the Westshore area will see the addition of 5 new routes, including new all-day, limited stop connections to Brandon, MacDill AFB, Tampa International Airport, and the University area.

Weekday frequency would increase to 30 minutes on route 14, and routes 14 and 19 would expand operating hours.

The remainder of the changes involve routing. Click here for an interactive map, showing proposed routing and stops. Please note schedules provided on the page are for planning purposes only. October 2017 schedules are currently being developed.

We have tried our best to minimize any coverage loss and to provide alternatives for eliminated service. Should you find yourself in such a situation, a vanpool may make a great option. Visit TBARTA's website for more information.

Take an online survey regarding the HART system redesign!

Please also note, these are proposed changes, that must be approved by the HART Board. A Public Hearing will be held at the HART Administrative Office (1201. E. 7th Ave., Tampa, FL, 33605) on July 26th, from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Public comment will be available at that time.

In the meantime, visit goHART.org/TDP to see upcoming meetings, take a survey, share comments, and learn more about the HART system redesign process!

Route of the Week: HARTFlex South County

HARTFlex South County provides door-to-door van service!

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 spotlight is on South County this week, as HARTFlex South County is the Route of the Week!

Launched in April 2010, HARTFlex South County started as a pilot project (along with the Brandon area) testing demand for door-to-door van service.

Quick refresher on HARTFlex service. HARTFlex vans operate along a fixed route (like traditional bus service). However, the service will also "flex" from the fixed route within the designated zone. Patrons wanting to be picked up or dropped off outside the designated route can make an advanced reservation. HARTFlex reservations may be made by calling 813-254-4278 anywhere from 2 hours, to 3 days in advance of your trip. Fares are $1.00 per trip, or $2.00 for an all-day HARTFlex pass.

HARTFlex South County operates Monday-Friday. First trip leaves Hillsborough Community College (HCC) SouthShore at 6:05 a.m. First trip leaves La Estancia Apartments at 6:35 a.m. Last trip departs HCC at 7:05 p.m. and the last trip departs La Estancia Apartments at 7:35 p.m. The service operates every 60 minutes.

South County operates between HCC SouthShore and La Estancia Apts.

HARTFlex South County Destinations:

• Sun City Center
• HCC SouthShore
• South Bay Hospital
• King's Point
• Amazon Warehouse
• SouthShore Corporate Park 
• Hillsborough County Tax Collector
• Lennard High School
• Freedom Plaza Community Center

Route of the Week: Route 18

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 explore the Route 18! The Route 18 operates 30 minute weekday service and hourly weekend service from The University area to Downtown Tampa.

Route 18 serves a number of USF student housing

Operating near The University of South Florida (USF), Route 18 serves a number of student housing complexes, including (but not limited to): Campus Lodge, The Livingston, The Social at South Florida and Reflections Apartments.

Transversing the northwest corner of The USF Tampa campus, Route 18 is a great option for non-emergency medical trips with a trio of Hospital/Medical Centers served: Florida Hospital - Tampa, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and, the Veteran's Administration (VA) Hospital. Seniors, ages 65+, and those with disabilities, are eligible for 50% off normal fare.

Botanical Gardens features over 3,000 plants, animals & more

A somewhat hidden gem on the USF campus, The USF Botanical Gardens, is 16 acres of gardens, with over 3,000 plants, animals and natural habitats. Admission to the gardens is only $5.00 for adults, and free for children under the age of 6.

Continuing our southward trek, Route 18 operates on the western side of Busch Gardens, with only a short walk to the park entrance. "Race" a cheetah at 60 mph, or feel the fury of a falcon, with a 300-ft drop at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay!

Whether it's racquetball at Alfred "Al" Barns, Jr. Park, or soccer (and hopefully soon, swimming) at Cuscaden Park, Route 18 has your outdoor activity needs covered.

On our way into Ybor City, Hillsborough Community College (HCC) students will be happy to see Route 18 connects to the Ybor Campus at 15th St. and 11th Ave. HCC students receive discounts on a 31-day pass, and the HCC Semester Pass provides four months of unlimited rides for $110. This deal breaks down to roughly four months of rides, for the price of two months.

Soon after, we are back in Downtown Tampa at Marion Transit Center, with connection to 25+ routes, including inter-city connections via PSTA, Megabus, and RedCoach!

From campus to coasters, HART Takes You There.
 

Route of the Week: Route 37

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 37 gets to shine this week!

The Route 37 is an east-west route operating from netp@rk Transfer Center (Connection with routes 6,15,32,34,37,39,41,57) to Westfield Brandon Mall (Connection with routes 8,31,37,46,53LX, HARTFlex Brandon)/Brandon Regional Hospital. The route operates 7 days a week with Weekday service from 5:05 a.m. - 9:45 p.m. and Weekend service from 6:05 a.m. - 7:10 p.m.

Heading east from netp@rk Transfer Center, Route 37 serves Grant Park, which houses a Community Center, playground and baseball diamond. In the summer, The Grant Park Activity Center has a full program of summer fun, as a City of Tampa Day Camp.

Love competition? Race go-karts, regardless of the weather, at Tampa Bay Grand Prix, Tampa's only indoor go kart racing facility. Just a short walk from the Route 37.

HCC students receive discounts on HART!

Heading south along Falkenburg Rd., the Brandon campus of Hillsborough Community College may be of interest to students in the area. HCC students receive two discounts when riding HART. A 31-day pass is only $48.75 (a discount of 25% over retail) and recently, HART launched the HCC Semester Pass. The pass provides HCC students with roughly 4 months of rides for roughly the price of two. The Semester Pass is $110 and available at all HCC Bookstores.

Movie buffs will happy to know that AMC The Regency 20 is accessible via a Route 37 stop directly in front of the theater complex.

Route 37 serves a number of Brandon destinations!

Eastbound on Brandon Blvd., the Route 37 caters to Brandon Regional Hospital employees with a stop at Oakfield Dr. and S. Parsons Ave. During the week, the frequency on the Route 37 is roughly 30 minutes and splits trips at Providence Rd., with every other trip serving Brandon Regional Hospital. Weekday trips not serving the hospital, operate along Providence Rd. Brandon High School, Hillsborough County Service Center and the Brandon Post Office are also accessible via this leg of the trip.

After the roughly 9-mile journey, the Route 37 ends at Westfield Brandon Mall, with over 150+ stores and restaurants, as well as, connection to 5 different HART routes.

From summer camp, to morning shifts, HART Takes You There.

Get onboard with HART this school year!

Welcome back, students! Another summer is in the books and another school year is here. If you're planning on using HART this school year, below is a quick reference guide on connecting to HART and special fares from your school.

What is HART?

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) is the public transportation service provider for Hillsborough County. HART serves Hillsborough County's employees, residents and visitors with 32 Local Routes, 13 Express Routes, and 5 Flex services. HART also operates the 2.7 mile TECO Line Streetcar System, serving the restaurants, attractions and other entertainment venues of Ybor City, the Channel District and downtown Tampa.

For a "how-to" video on riding HART, click here.

HART Adult Student Fare program:

Schools participating in the HART Adult Student Fare program sell HART fare cards to its students for a 25% discount. Students can purchase a 31-Day Local Adult Student Fare Card for only $45 (normally $60) at their respective schools by showing their valid student ID. Please note, the adult student discount is not applicable if the pass is purchased at traditional HART sales outlets.

Click here for a listing of participating schools.

What's a fare card worth, if you can't connect to your school?

Luckily, HART has you covered with multiple routes connecting to over 20+ colleges in Hillsborough County. Below, you'll find a listing of some of the schools that HART serves with bus, van and in some cases, streetcar service.

University of South Florida (USF):

The following HART routes serve the USF area:

• Route 1 - Florida Ave.
  
• Route 2 - Nebraska Ave.
• Route 5 - 40th St.
• Route 6 - 56th St.
• Route 9 - 15th St.
• Route 12 - 22nd St.
• Route 18 - 30th St.
• Route 33 - Fletcher Ave.
• Route 45 - U.A.T.C.
• Route 57 - U.A.T.C.

Students ride FREE on HART local, limited express and Flex routes with valid student ID. Faculty and staff ride for just 25¢.

For information on the U-Pass program, click here.

Hillsborough Community College (HCC):

We have a number of routes serving the HCC campuses around the county:

• Dale Mabry campus - Route 7
• Davis Islands (Admin. Office) - Routes 19, 46
• Brandon campus - Route 37
• SouthShore campus - Route 31, HARTFlex South County
• Ybor City campus - Routes 5, 8, 9, 12, 18, 46, the TECO Line Streetcar

Click here for a map of the HCC service area.

Students can purchase a 31-Day Local Adult Student Fare Card for $45 at the bookstores of HCC's Dale Mabry, Brandon and Ybor City campuses.

University of Tampa (UT):

HART serves UT via the following routes:

• Route 4 - Palma Ceia/MacDill
• Route 7 - West Tampa/Citrus Park
  
• Route 10 - Cypress St.
  
• Route 14 - Armenia Ave.
  
• Route 19 - Port Tampa
  
• Route 30 - Town 'N Country/Airport
  
• Route 46 - Davis Islands/West Brandon
  

Click here for a map of the UT service area.

Everest University:

HART serves Everest University with routes 34, 36.

Click here for a map of the Everest University service area.

Barry University:

Routes 7, 16 connected to Barry University.

Click here for a map of the Barry University service area.

Sanford Brown University:

HART connects to Sanford Brown via routes 6, 15, 32, 34, 37, 39, 41, 57

Click here for a map of the Sanford Brown University service area.

Ultimate Medical Academy:

HART connects to the Ultimate Medical Academy via routes 1, 9, 14, 39.

Click here for a map of the Ultimate Medical Academy service area.

Now that you've purchased your pass, what's the next step?

Plan your school commute with HART.

Your best bet is the HART Trip Planner. Simply type in your starting and end points, arrival time/date, hit "get directions," and let the planner do the rest. Bookmark the Trip Planner for easier access later. Can't get to our website, and need immediate assistance? Call the HARTinfo line at 813-254-4278, or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

Hopefully, you found this guide helpful, if there is anything else that you think we should include (like your school), let us know in the "comments" section. Have a great school year!

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.