HART and TECO Line Streetcar Featured in "Connected Vehicle" Demo

The Tampa Connected Vehicle Pilot project team

The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) and HART recently invited industry peers and media to a demonstration showcasing connected vehicle technology on HART buses and the TECO Line Streetcar System. This was the first-ever demonstration of how connected vehicle safety applications on transit vehicles can help prevent crashes between cars, transit vehicles, and even pedestrians.

Attendees had the opportunity to ride in the vehicles and witness situational demonstrations of the technology, which allows the transit vehicles to "talk" wirelessly to the roadway and other connected vehicles.

Below is video of a simulated situation featuring a car turning in front of the Streetcar:

Tampa is one of the first cities in the nation (one of just three) to deploy connected vehicle technology through the Tampa Connected Vehicle Pilot, which THEA is spearheading. 

As part of the project, THEA is equipping 10 HART buses and 10 streetcars, and the cars of 1,600 individual volunteers with this exciting new technology to make downtown Tampa a safer, smarter place to walk, ride and drive.

The Tampa Connected Vehicle Pilot will also equip buses with Transit Signal Priority (TSP), which will enable them to communicate with streetlights on their routes. Downtown congestion can back up travel, causing buses to become late. When necessary, TSP can prioritize bus movements to speed up service.

The pilot has recently been featured on Discovery Channel Canada's Daily Planet!

The Tampa Connected Vehicle Pilot is a $21-million project funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

MetroRapid North-South Service Delivers for HART!



Photo source: TBO.com

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) MetroRapid North-South (N-S) service turned the wheel on its first 7 months of operation on December 10, 2013. The innovative limited stop service has increased ridership, offering customers a more convenient, more flexible ride and has ushered in a new era of public transit choices. 

"MetroRapid N-S service has been even more successful than we originally anticipated and has become a valued service to the community," said HART Chief Executive Officer Philip Hale. "In just 7 months of operation, we've seen MetroRapid N-S increase 22.7 percent from June to December based on average daily ridership."
The MetroRapid N-S service route, the first of its kind in Hillsborough County, was officially launched on June 10, 2013. This limited stop service features cutting-edge technology including Transit Signal Priority (TSP) system, 16 Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) at major connection points along the corridor. MetroRapid N-S offers faster travel and enhancements for a new rider experience.  

The mix of new vehicles, stations and technologies have made MetroRapid the premium way to travel. Transit Ridership on MetroRapid has nearly doubled - averaging 2,288 daily riders in December in just its seventh month of operation. The agency's MetroRapid N-S service has heightened awareness of public transit benefits and opened the door to future plans for additional MetroRapid routes. 

On the travel side, customers may experience up to a 15 percent time savings over local service. This time savings can be attributed to the implementation of the high-tech Transit Signal Priority (TSP) system that advances buses throughout the corridor. It works by holding traffic lights green a little longer when a bus is running behind schedule and shortening red lights. 

Construction on the northward expansion of the Marion Transit Center is running smoothly. The project includes two new bus shelters, extra bicycle storage, and a pick-up and drop-off area for taxis, paratransit vans and private vehicles. A canopy will be elevated to connect MTC to the new intermodal site which is scheduled to open in April. 

For more information about MetroRapid, visit www.goHART.org/MetroRapid

11/14/11 - Major Projects & Legislative Committee Meeting Recap

The Major Projects & Legislative Committee met Monday and received a summary of HART capital projects under development, design and construction. View HART at Work, which provides details for each project that impacts current and future public transit facilities, including the Yukon Park-n-Ride, MetroRapid North-South and East-West, Transit Signal Priority, new park-n-ride facilities in Brandon and in Northeast Hillsborough County, and the Basic Transit Infrastructure Program. It also includes a map that demonstrates the geographical range these projects have across Hillsborough County. You could say public transit improvements are coming to a zip code near you!

No need to mention the improvements underway at the 21st Avenue Facility -- most employees are working through this major renovation project. Thank you for your patience! Construction is scheduled through Fall 2012.

The Major Projects & Legislative Committee also held a discussion about the importance of securing federal or state funding to incrementally implement the use of CNG at HART.

"Compressed Natural Gas is one of the most effective fuel technologies for public transit," said HART Chief Executive Officer Philip Hale, adding that especially in Florida's hot weather, CNG-fueled vehicles operate more efficiently than diesel-hybrid vehicles. The battery power of a diesel-hybrid bus is not enough to run the ongoing air conditioning system needed for a bus that operates under Florida's extended warm and humid weather conditions.

Natural gas is colorless, shapeless, and odorless in its pure form. It is abundant in the United States, and when burned it gives off a great deal of energy and few emissions. Unlike other fossil fuels, natural gas is clean burning and emits lower levels of potentially harmful byproducts into the air. Most natural gas vehicles operate using compressed natural gas (CNG).

HART is working with the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization to undertake project development work identifying the specific requirements to support CNG vehicles at the HART maintenance facility. Project development is required to effectively compete for federal and state monies that would fund such a project.