HART's FY2020 Program of Projects Certified by Independent Oversight Committee

The Independent Oversight Committee (IOC) that oversees the spending of the All for Transportation sales tax unanimously voted on November 21 to certify that HART's FY2020 Program of Projects list complies with the existing charter.

In our inaugural year, HART staff has developed a comprehensive program of projects that accounts for two full years of funding. The projects include a number of service and capital expenditures primarily aimed at preparing the agency for expansion and improved customer services. 

Included in the strategy moving forward is a goal of resetting the baseline of the system through an operational assessment and establishing a 30-year vision via a new major Transit Development Plan update. 

HART FY2020 Program of Projects Highlights:

HART FY2020 Highlights

• Restoring service:
• Routes: 4 (South Tampa), 41 (Sligh Ave.), 44 (University area), 46 (Palmetto Beach)

• Improve Weekend Frequency:
• Routes: 9 (30th St.), 15 (Columbus), 31 (So. County), 32 (MLK), 42/45 - University

• Improve Weekday Frequency:
• Routes: 12 (22nd St.), 30 (Kennedy), 32 (MLK Blvd.), 42/45 (University)

• Expanding Transit Options (Fixed-guideway):
• Corridor assessments, future streetcar extensions, CSX corridor evaluation, InVision Tampa Streetcar: Project partner, project development, Marion Transitway Corridor Assessment
• Customer Amenities, HART Facilities, etc.:

• Bus shelter and transit center upgrades, replacement and renovation of HART maintenance facilities, rolling stock purchases (electric and Compressed Natural Gas buses)

All for Transportation Background:

In November 2018, the residents of Hillsborough County voted for a 1% surtax to fund Transportation projects. Of the 1% surtax, 45% of the new surtax funded was designated for transit specific projects and that funding was designated to go directly to HART. 

In addition, as part of the referendum, an Independent Oversight Committee (IOC) was required to be created and an annual program of projects from each recipient of the 1% surtax funding must be submitted by September 30th each year for the IOC to review.

Redesign Process Closes in on the Finish Line!

With over 45k daily trips, HART is a big part of the community!

You hop on HART, pay your fare, put in headphones, arrive at your destination, and hop off.

Easy, right?

The bus is just a way for you to get home - Point A to Point B.

In actuality though, public transportation is more than that. Public transportation provides accessibility, mobility... FREEDOM to riders. We understand that.

HART isn't a bureaucracy, we're human. We live in the community, and a lot of us are your neighbors on the bus, van, streetcar, etc.

Over 150 individuals took time out of their day on July 26th to attend the Public Hearing on the system redesign. The allotted time for public comment went over by roughly 40 minutes, as our packed Ybor office buzzed with all walks of life.

We heard you.

We have reviewed all of the comments from the Public Hearing and have looked at possible solutions. We want to be upfront, that some of the proposed solutions from the Public Hearing are not currently financially feasible.

With that said, let's walk through the revisions to the plan and answer some of the biggest requests from public comments:

Revision for service north of Fletcher

REVISIONS

Service north of Fletcher: Route(s) 1,18,33,57

The proposal to straighten out route(s) 1 and 33, and the removal of the route(s) 18 and 57, left customers north of Fletcher with HyperLINK as the one remaining service option.

After receiving comments on this service and reviewing the need, the Route 45 will split at Yukon Transfer Center. The northern portion from Yukon Transfer Center becomes a new Route 42 that travels north of Fletcher on Nebraska, Skipper/Bearrs and Bruce B Downs.

Route 19

Route 19 routing revision

The Route 19 segment on Westshore Blvd. south of Britton Plaza was removed due to low ridership and high cost per boarding. The segment on south of Britton Plaza on Manhattan Ave. is replaced by the new Route 17.

Route 19 is now proposed to operate along Cleveland Ave., not Swann Ave. As a result, northbound Route 19 trips will once again serve the Lighthouse for the Blind and Tampa General Hospital. Trips from downtown can transfer from Cleveland St. to Platt St. or near Armenia Ave. at Swann Ave.

Route 51X/21LX revision map

Route 21LX/Route 51X

The 51X morning trips will serve the Temple Terrace Park and Ride. This will provide service to customers of the 21LX (which is being removed). The afternoon alternative for 21LX riders to the Temple Terrace Park-n-Ride will be the Route 6.



Route 36

Route would travel Himes Ave. between Busch Blvd. and MLK Jr. Blvd. and then travel Lois Ave./ Tampa Bay Blvd. to connect to Route 7 at HCC Dale Mabry campus.

The revisions we just covered have been added to the system redesign proposal going to the HART Board on August 7th.

Below, let's clarify some common questions in the proposal and provide context for the changes.

SERVICE CLARIFICATIONS AND RATIONALE

HARTFlex South Tampa/Route 10
The proposal to expand the HARTFlex South Tampa north to Cypress remains intact. HARTFlex South Tampa will now serve the western section of Route 10 (which is being removed) to include connections to the MacDonald Training Center, Tampa Housing Authority, and the Social Security Office. Service will operate hourly.

HARTFlex Brandon/HART HyperLINK

The proposal to eliminate the Brandon FLEX remains intact. The approximate per passenger trip cost for HARTFlex Brandon is $14, whereas the per trip cost for HyperLINK (as it exists today) is $10. We are looking at possibly modifying the Brandon HART HyperLINK for a deployment in October 2017. This may include reducing the customer fare and increasing connection points within the zone.

Route 46/Route 37

Route 46 will operate between the Dover Park-and-Ride and Westfield Brandon Mall, while serving Brandon Regional Hospital. Route 37 will travel directly to the Westfield Brandon for faster trip times and connections from the Route 46. The proposal removes Route 46 segments serving Palmetto Beach and Causeway Blvd. With 1.1 boardings per service mile and less than 15 boardings per service hour, the existing Route 46 is one of the lowest performing local routes in the HART network. The modification of the 46 preserves the most productive segments of the route.

Route 39 revision map

Route 39/57

We initially proposed Route 39 having alternating trips to Bullard Pkwy/Harney Rd. However, we're revising the initial proposal to only use the 50th St/Puritan Rd/Sligh Ave segment. Route 39 would run every 30 minutes on Saturdays.

The proposal to alternate segments was removed due to concerns about confusion in operating the alternating segments and reducing the level of service on the 50th St/Puritan Rd/Sligh Ave segment. Service in the Bullard Pkwy/Harney Rd would be returned in the future, possibly in the expansion of HART HyperLINK to Temple Terrace City Hall.

MetroRapid

With the consolidation of MetroRapid and Route 2, we are proposing to add seven MetroRapid stops along the route. MetroRapid hours would also expand to cover existing Route 2 service schedule.

MetroRapid service between UATC and the Hidden River/Telecom Park area will now be served by Route 33 in the proposal going before the HART Board.

SHAPING THE PLAN + NEXT STEPS

We hope this helps to understand the revisions to the proposal and why the changes were necessary.

We truly appreciate the community's involvement in this effort to transform the HART system. From the beginning, the community has helped shape this proposal through valuable insight, such as that provided at the Public Hearing.

Please note: Due to an expected overflow crowd, the HART Board meeting scheduled for August 7th, has been moved to County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in Downtown Tampa.

Can't make the meeting? It will be streamed LIVE here.

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 Tampa

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!

Our featured Route of the Week is HARTFlex South Tampa!

HARTFlex is an on-demand van service that provides reservation or walk-up service. HARTFlex operates along a traditional route, but has the ability to "flex" up to 1/3 mile from the route within the zone.

HARTFlex South Tampa zone

HARTFlex South Tampa operates Monday-Friday between Britton Plaza Transfer Center and Westshore Plaza Transfer Center, with select trips to the MacDonald's Training Center.

Service Hours:

First trip: 

• Leaves Britton Plaza at 6:00 a.m.
• Leaves Westshore Plaza at 6:30 a.m.
• MacDonald's Training Center - 8:30 a.m. (one trip)

 Last trip:

• Leaves Britton Plaza at 7:00 p.m.
• Leaves Westshore Plaza at 6:30 p.m. 
• MacDonald's Training Center - 2:30 p.m. (one trip)

The HARTFlex South Tampa zone is a foodie heaven!


Here are just some of the restaurants within the HARTFlex South Tampa zone:

Datz' famous "Cheesy Todd" burger!

• Besito Mexican Restaurant
• Maggiano's Little Italy
• P.F. Chang's
• Mitchell's Fish Market
• Seasons 52
• Datz
• 4 Rivers Smokehouse
• Your Pie
• Miguel's Mexican Seafood and Grill
• SoHo Sushi
• Acropolis Greek Taverna
• Pane Rustica
• Lemon Grass Thai Kitchen

Need to work off all of that food? Orangetheory Fitness, LA Fitness, Barre Fitness, Tampa Fitness Center, and Dan Wall Fitness all fall within the HARTFlex South Tampa zone.

HARTFlex also has those working at one of Westshore Plaza's over 110 stores covered. HARTFlex South Tampa picks up and drops off at the Westshore Transfer Center, where riders can connect to routes 15, 30, and 45!

Those looking for a Pinellas County connection can transfer from HARTFlex Tampa to PSTA's 100X (along with HART routes 4,19, and 36) at the HART Britton Plaza Transfer Center.

From Lemon Grass, to LA Fitness, HART Takes You There.

Route of the Week: Route 19

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 19 is our featured Route of the Week!

The Route 19 operates from Marion Transit Center in Downtown, to Idaho and O'Brien St. in South Tampa. Service operates 7 days a week, with weekday service until midnight.

While not the busiest route in the HART system at 18th in ridership, Route 19 still carried almost 439k trips in FY15! That's thousands of cars off our already congested roadways.

Whether for wellness, business, education, or leisure, Route 19 has you covered!

The Route 19 is a crucial commuting tool for healthcare workers, as it is the sole HART route that serves Tampa General Hospital, and one of two routes (the other being HARTFlex South Tampa) to serve Memorial Hospital. Service is tailored to workers at both hospitals, with service beginning at 4:10 a.m. and coverage for workers until roughly 1:00 a.m.

STAY-cation promotion ends June 10th

Two of Hillsborough County's oldest schools are also served by Route 19. Hop off at Dale Mabry Hwy. and San Carlos St. for Plant High School and Manhattan Ave. and Mango St. (or Rembrandt Dr.) for Robinson High School. For a limited time, Hillsborough County middle and high school students ride HART FREE with their valid student, or HART-issued Youth ID. The promotion runs until June 10.

Those looking to transfer to other routes, can do so at Britton Plaza Transfer Center, with connection to 4, 36, HARTFlex South Tampa, and 100X (operated by PSTA).

Riders looking for entertainment have quite the spread to choose from, thanks to Route 19. Known as "America's only thatched roof pub," Four Green Fields has been a South Tampa nightlife landmark for over 20 years.

Looking to bar hop? Route 19 serves a number of restaurants and entertainment destinations in the SoHo District along S. Howard Ave. or, along Swann Ave. in the Hyde Park Village area.

Lightning and music fans will appreciate the connection to Amalie Arena.

From TGH to SoHo, HART Takes You There.

Route 19 operates between Downtown Tampa and South Tampa

It's Mapnificent!

Want to see how far you can go from your location in a certain amount of time on HART? There's now an app for that!

HART released our General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS), or scheduling data, about a month ago and we now have the first "app" created using the data.

Mapnificent.

Mapnificent is a free web-based application that utilizes HART scheduling data (times, stops, frequencies, etc.) to formulate and display the results over Google Maps. You can drag the pin around for different locations, use the slider for different maximum times, and go to settings to choose times and days of week. You can also drag the pin around to find the half way meeting point between friends living across town.

Mapnificent was created by a 23-year-old graduate student named Stefan Wehrmeyer, a graduate student in Germany. "I hope people use it to find the best place to live, work and meet, said Wehrmeyer on his blog. "That they discover new things about their public transport system."

If you would like a more in depth look of the functionality of Mapnificent, please watch the video below. Wehrmeyer gives a great tutorial on using Mapnificent to accomplish a number of tasks.

Mapnificent from Stefan Wehrmeyer on Vimeo.

Mapnificent is now live in Tampa and can be found by going to www.mapnificent.net/tampa

Reminder: HART does not endorse any 3rd party applications, including Mapnificent . However, we do support providing our patrons with options, and having our data open for public consumption and ingenuity.

If you are interested in developing a 3rd party application, please visit the HART Developer's page located here.

Service changes are coming July 10!

As the weather changes, so does HART service. Or, so it may seem...

It actually kind of does. Three times a year, (usually in March, July and November, or Florida's equivalent to seasons) HART implements service changes to continue to make the system more efficient and effective. Service changes allow for us to constantly tinker with routes, adding additional trips to provide a better connection to other routes, or shaving off layover time to keep the run on schedule.

While we only roll out three service changes a year, HART staff is constantly reviewing Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) data in order to identify potential routes for modification. HART Planners are always looking at ways to make service more efficient. AVL provides the opportunity for our schedulers to review route runs, which show where our Operators may need some help, time-wise. It really is a fascinating process, and if you are interested in learning more about transit planning and how a route goes from plan to pavement, we covered that in a two part blog series. The service change process is a long and exhaustive process, planning for the July 2011 changes began in December/January.

July service changes go live Sunday!

The times they are a changin' ... literally. July service changes are around the corner - July 10. If you have not seen the July 2011 service changes, you can find the changes here. Please take this week to finalize your game plan for next week. If you need any help with trip planning before July 10, call HART Customer Service at (813) 254-4278, after July 10, use the Google Trip Planner on goHART.org. We would like to thank the community for all of your help in the planning process. HART held six community meetings and one public hearing in March to discuss the proposed July changes.

HARTFlex is coming...

One of the biggest changes in the July service changes is the expansion of HARTFlex from Brandon and South County to three new areas: Northdale (Carrollwood), South Tampa and Town 'N Country. If you are not familiar with Flex and how it works, visit www.gohart.org/flex. Basically, it is an on-demand, curbside pickup van service. Flex service, mostly operates along a route like normal bus service, except the van "flexes" a certain distance from the route. The exception is the Brandon Flex, which operates within a zone and without a set route. Patrons can pickup the Brandon Flex at the Westfield Brandon Mall. By replacing local route service with Flex service in those areas, HART is able to maintain service levels and save over $500k annually.

For maps, service hours and other information on HARTFlex, please visit www.gohart.org/flex.

HART Service Changes:
July 10, 2011 service changes
Proposed November 2011 service changes