HART Awarded $32 Million FTA Grant for CNG Buses

Historic News for HART!

We’re proud to announce that HART has been awarded $32 million through the FTA’s Low or No Emission and Bus & Bus Facilities Program — the largest federal grant in HART’s history, the largest in Florida, and one of the top awards in the entire nation this funding cycle.

This investment will allow us to:

• Replace 33 aging diesel buses averaging 688,000 miles — well beyond their useful life
• Reduce annual maintenance costs by over $1 million
• Improve reliability, on-time performance, and reduce service interruptions
• Cut harmful emissions across Hillsborough County
• Expand technician training and apprenticeship programs to strengthen our workforce

With this award, HART is now positioned to become Florida’s first transit agency with a 100% low-emission CNG fixed-route fleet — a major milestone in our Fleet Transition Plan and a big step toward cleaner, more reliable mobility for our community.

This isn’t just an investment in buses. It’s an investment in our riders, our employees, and the future of transportation in Hillsborough County.

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Statement from HART CEO Scott Drainville

“Today’s announcement represents a major step forward for reliable transit in Hillsborough County. This investment will help us improve service for riders, reduce costly breakdowns, strengthen our workforce pipeline, and continue transitioning our fleet to cleaner, low-emission technology. 

We are profoundly grateful to the more than two dozen partners who stood with us—elected leaders, community advocates, educational institutions, businesses, and industry. Their voices made clear that modern, reliable transit is essential to our region’s growth.”

Statement from Congresswoman Kathy Castor

“This grant is a big win for our Tampa Bay neighbors. Reliable, accessible transit is essential to a healthy local economy—helping people get to work, school, medical care, and the grocery store without added stress,” said Rep. Kathy Castor. “With these new investments to modernize HART’s fleet and expand mobility options, we’re opening the door to more job opportunities, supporting local businesses and ensuring families across Hillsborough County can move around safely and affordably. I’m proud to help secure these federal resources so every neighbor—regardless of zip code—has the freedom to move, connect and thrive in our community.”

Statement from Congresswoman Laurel Lee

“This federal investment is a significant step forward for transit in Hillsborough County. With the addition of 33 new CNG buses, HART will be able to improve reliability, lower operating costs, and better serve the riders who depend on these routes every day. I was proud to support HART’s application and am grateful to Secretary Duffy and Administrator Molinaro for prioritizing this project. These upgrades will make a real difference for families, workers, and students across our community.” 

Statement from HART Chair/Councilman Luis Viera


“This $32 million grant for HART is a huge leap forward thanks to our federal partners. HART provides such a pivotal lifeline for our working families – our seniors, those with disabilities, our veterans and so many others. I am so thankful for the work ethic, tenacity and determination of our Congresswoman Kathy Castor, who always champions transit. This grant allows us to move forward in a manner that is productive and is consistent with sustainability.”

HART Operator Reunites Lost Child with Mother

HART is celebrating the heroic actions of Bus Operator Barbara Baker, whose quick thinking and compassion helped reunite a lost child with his family.

As captured in a recent onboard video, Operator Baker demonstrated remarkable initiative when she spotted a small child in the middle of a busy roadway. Without hesitation, she safely pulled her bus to the side, exited the vehicle, and brought the child out of harm’s way. She remained with the child until officers from the Tampa Police Department arrived. Thanks to her quick and heroic actions, the child was safely reunited with his family shortly after being discovered.

“This is a powerful reminder that our Operators do far more than drive buses — they also serve as guardians of the community every single day,” said HART CEO Scott Drainville. “Operator Baker’s courage and attentiveness exemplify the dedication and heart that define our team.”

HART vehicles are designated as a Hillsborough County Safe Place, and HART Operators are trained to remain vigilant and situationally aware for instances such as a lost child, human trafficking, etc. This incident highlights the vital role they play in protecting and serving the residents and visitors of Hillsborough County.

Well done, Operator Baker — your heroism inspires us all!

HART Board Appoints Scott Drainville as Permanent CEO

HART CEO Scott Drainville

The HART Board of Directors appointed Scott Drainville as the Authority's new Chief Executive Officer at the November 6, 2023, Board Meeting.

Mr. Drainville has been serving as the HART Interim CEO since April 2023.

  

The decision to promote Mr. Drainville was announced after a vote by the HART Board of Directors to approve his contract as permanent CEO.

            

HART hired Mr. Drainville in 2018 as Deputy Chief of Maintenance, overseeing the Authority's core business in maintenance, facilities, inventory control and the communications/electronics divisions and responsible for directing the overall funding, environmental, design, permitting, construction, and project close-out of capital construction projects. He would go on to serve as Chief of Maintenance and Transportation.

 

“Scott Drainville is a partner with our Board in bringing more transparency to HART, said HART Chair Councilman Luis Viera. "I and our Board of Republicans and Democrats enthusiastically gave Mr. Drainville a unanimous approval for a reason - because he is the right person with the right values and for the right time for HART.”

 

"I appreciate the confidence the Board of Directors has placed in my ability to lead HART," said HART CEO Scott Drainville. "My focus is on bringing stability to the organization and continuing to maximize our resources to deliver the best possible transportation service for Hillsborough County."

      

Mr. Drainville is a native of East Providence, Rhode Island who brings more than thirty years of public transportation and fleet maintenance experience to the organization. He started his career as a diesel technician in the late '80s.

Before coming to HART, Mr. Drainville served as the Director of Transportation and Maintenance for CitiBus located in Lubbock, Texas. He has also held transit leadership positions at the D.C. Circulator in Washington D.C. and served as a Mechanical Foreman with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority for more than eighteen years.