UPDATE:The HART Service Changes previously scheduled for April 14, 2024, are postponed to May 12, 2024, due to unforeseen technology issues.
HART staff have encountered issues with our Computer-Aided Dispatch / Automatic Vehicle Location (CAD/AVL) system that have led to the need to delay the implementation of adjustments to our service routes and schedules. The CAD/AVL software has reached the end of its useful life and HART is currently in the procurement process for a new system.
The issue primarily impacts our Google Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data, which involves real-time travel information.
To ensure a smooth transition and to provide you with the high-quality service you expect from HART, we have rescheduled the service changes to take effect on May 12, 2024.
Please be assured that we are working diligently to resolve the technology issues and minimize any further delays.
Customers can contact Customer Service at 813-254-4278 with any questions.
The Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART) encourages riders and invites the community to thank transportation workers across Hillsborough County on March 18, 2022, in observance of Transit Worker Appreciation Day.
HART's bus, van and streetcar operators, as well as maintenance workers, provide safe and reliable service every day to our thousands of Hillsborough County riders.
During one of the most challenging times in recent history, transit workers across the country showcased how public transportation is essential to the vitality of the community by remaining open and serving essential workers.
These professionals regularly demonstrate patience and skill. However, above all, they care about our riders and serving our community.
Commuters know the familiar faces they encounter each day as they travel to work and school, run errands, see a friend, or receive their last round of chemotherapy. Our transit workers become part of our customers' daily lives and it's great to show them that we appreciate the great work they do.
Join the Transit Worker Day Celebration
Tell your operator thank you, share a smile or say hello. Customers can also help spread the word about this special day by posting to their social media pages using #ThanksTransit.
HART customers can also share their great experiences by using #HARTHeroes or visiting www.goHART.org.
UPDATE: 6.08.2020 - TECO Line Streetcar service is being extended until 11 PM, seven days a week, beginning Friday, June 12, 2020. Streetcar service currently ends at 9 PM due to conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
HART is announcing an additional reduction in bus service levels beginning Wednesday, April 22, 2020. The additional bus service alterations follow a reduction in HART bus, van, and streetcar levels enacted on April 1, 2020 and is an effort to maintain service reliability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
HART is currently operating all modes of transit on a Sunday service schedule with regular fares. Beginning April 22, 2020, HART will be further adjusting the following routes in order to provide additional buses on higher-ridership routes to maintain safe rider capacity, while staggered seating/social distancing is in place.
Express Bus Services that WILL NOT OPERATE:
Routes 20X, 24LX, 25LX
Routes 60LX
Route 75LX (not operating as of April 1, 2020)
Express Bus Services that WILL OPERATE:
Route 360LX
Route 275LX: Service operating ONLY between the Wiregrass Park-and-Ride and the University Area Transit Center
HART Customer Service Centers will remain open. It is recommended riders travel for essential purposes only. HART is NOT an emergency transportation provider.
Any adjustments will be made as needed based on changing conditions.
HARTPlus Operating Regular Service for Essential Trips:
All HARTPlus subscriptions are continuing to be placed on hold until further notice. HARTPlus Customers must book their trips on demand.
It is recommended that HARTPlus customers cancel any rides that are not necessary, and prioritize reservations for essential or emergency purposes only. Trips can be canceled by calling Customer Service (813) 254-4278 at least two hours in advance. Please call your destination to confirm they are open before boarding, as many community facilities and events have been canceled or closed.
Streetcar Reduced Hours:
The TECO Line Streetcar System servicewill continue to operate the regular Weekday and Weekend schedule, however, servicewill continue to temporarilyendat9:00 PM nightly.
A class of 10 bus operator trainees graduated Friday, April 20 from the eight-week HART training program and will begin work as soon as
next week as licensed bus operators. This is the first class to graduate this
year, with the next bus operator class scheduled to begin training on May 14,
2018.
Not everyone who starts the rigorous eight-week HART bus
operator training program finishes it. Only those committed to meeting the
demands of being a professional bus operator and adhering to strict safety
standards complete the training curriculum. The graduates are Robert Adams,
Kevin Hargrove, Andy Him, Scott Lovelace, David McAuliffe, Sean Matthews,
Joseph Reyes, Laurie Robertson, Felix Salas and Jodi St. John.
"HART's core business relies on having bus operators on
the road picking up customers. We are proud of our graduates who understand
this is not just a job, this is a career," Chief Administrative Officer
and Interim Chief of Staff Kenyatta Lee said. "The comprehensive training
we provide ensures we have the best and the brightest drivers on the road
providing superior customer service and always keeping safety at the
forefront."
Training for this class started February 26, 2018, and the
class of 10 bus operators passed the new HART bus operator training program
curriculum, which combines quizzes and written exams, homework assignments
throughout the first four weeks of classroom instruction, weekly student
evaluations, and two and a half weeks of 'on the job training' (OJT).
In addition, trainees must pass examinations in customer
service training, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sensitivity and a
variety of other safety programs. Candidates also need to complete
behind-the-wheel training that coincides with receiving their Commercial
Driver's License (CDL). Overseeing the training are Training and Development
specialists: Richard Campbell and Brian Abrams.
Please join us in congratulating our new operators!
HART and PSTA held the annual Regional Roadeo last weekend
at the HART Operations and Maintenance Facility. Bus and van operators from HART and PSTA, as well as, two teams of PSTA mechanics showcased their driving and
vehicle maintenance skills.
"I am proud of all our drivers who participated in the HART and PSTA
Regional Bus Roadeo," said HART Chief Operating Officer Ruthie Reyes
Burckard. "Their participation is voluntary and demonstrates their
commitment to safety and strengthening their skills."
More than 29 operators
were judged on a rigid, scored course, consisting of 11 different obstacles.
Operators were evaluated on 16 criteria including a pre-trip inspection of
their vehicle, uniform compliance, 11 different driving challenges, smoothness
of operation, and safety habits - all on a timed course. The van operators
competition consisted of the same obstacle course and also included a
wheelchair deployment following ADA protocol as part of their criteria. The 6
PSTA maintenance technicians were tasked with finding preset defects on six
modules including air conditioning, powertrain, and more. Participants also had
to conduct a vehicle inspection to locate pre-set defects that would render the
vehicle inoperable and/or unsafe.
Operators were judged on 11 different obstacles
Joining
these competitors were approximately 75 employees and vendors from both
agencies who volunteered as judges and assessed contestants driving skills, knowledge
of safety rules, time performance and maintenance skills. First place finishers
advanced to the State competition held in Daytona Beach on April 27 and could
advance to the 2018 APTA International Bus Roadeo hosted jointly by HART and
PSTA at the PSTA Operations facility in St. Petersburg on May 6, 2018.
Results
HART
HART - Bus Operators - Top 3
Bus
1st Place - Guardionex Falero-Ramos - Fourth Roadeo; two 2nd Place and one 3rd Place finishes
2nd Place - Maged Botros - First Roadeo
3rd Place - Eric McKethan - Fourth Roadeo; one top 10, and two first place finishes
Van
1st Place - Alfred Patterson - Third Roadeo; first top 5 finish
2nd Place - LaShawn Vickers - First Roadeo
3rd Place - Francisco Guerrero - First Roadeo
PSTA
Bus
PSTA winners
1st Place -Nehemia Guerra
2nd Place - Randy Pinto
3rd Place - Jose Colindres
Maintenance
1st Place - Tyler Johnson, Bobby Farris, and Paul Levesque
2nd Place - Derrick Brown, Zach Hulet, and Tim Sandmeyer
With the New Year fast approaching, many are looking at doing things
differently in 2018. Nationwide, individuals are looking to eat
better, reduce stress and save money. Make the most of this goodwill by
trying transit in the New Year and get on track to accomplishing all 3
resolutions! Drum roll please...
The Top Reasons to Try Transit in 2018 Getting
out of the comfort zone of your car may seem daunting and scary, so why
not make it a 2018 must-do by adding it to the resolution list? Plus,
here are some (good) reasons to try transit in 2018: 1.Save, save, save. A second car in Tampa Bay costs a family on average about $700/month, according to the American Public
Transportation Association (APTA). A HART monthly bus pass is $65.
That’s $635 in monthly savings! Use APTA’s transit calculator to find
out what it costs to drive a personal vehicle versus trying transit.
2.Go green.
This is the generation that’s doing it differently! Many residents have
made daily changes as part of their personal going green initiative:
energy-efficient light bulbs, reusable grocery bags, and low-flow shower
heads. Next stop on going green: Ride HART.
Read a book, listen to music, relax and let HART drive!
3.Reduce stress. It’s
no secret driving in gridlock traffic is stressful. Kick the car habit,
and don’t “stress” about how to get home from work. The Emergency Ride
Home program makes it easy to rely on transit by ensuring a ride home in
case of an emergency or unplanned situation. Learn more at www.tampabayrideshare.org
4.Reach fitness goals. Regular
exercise is a common New Year’s resolution. Taking the bus is an easy
way to get in the recommended minimum daily 30 minutes of physical
activity, according to the 2005 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Transit users are 3x more likely than non-transit users to meet that recommendation. Why use a treadmill at a smelly gym when you could be going places instead!
5.Everyone else is doing it.
HART riders, who make up the more than 12 million in yearly bus trips,
can’t be wrong! They are enjoying more safety, less stress and use
technology like OneBusAway Tampa and the Google Trip Plannerto help them plan their trips.
6.Bike and ride.Each HART bus accommodates two bikes. By combining buses and bikes, commuters can greatly expand their range of travel.
7.Ride and fly. Frequent air travelers can take advantage of new service to Tampa International Airport! Following the launch of Mission MAX, the newly created Route 60LX provides service between Westfield Brandon and Northwest Transfer Center (with stops in Downtown and the Airport). Route 60LX joins route(s) 30 and 32 with service to the Airport. Workers along this route
need only to park at the office and hop aboard the nearest stop. Save considerable cash, compared to even the cheapest Uber/Lyft ride!
8.Again, savings, savings, savings. The Commuter Transit Benefit provides individuals a monthly up-to $260 tax benefit towards using public transportation.
Beginning Sunday, October 8, 2017, HART will implement a comprehensive schedule change - Mission MAX.
Through Mission MAX, we are Modernizing the system to deliver more efficient service and higher frequencies on high-demand routes. We are Aligning routes to provide shorter trip times and better connections. And we strive for eXcellence by designing a network that lays a strong foundation for future expansion.
This redesign of the bus system includes route and schedule modifications based on an extensive period of research, operational considerations, and public input.
How does Mission MAX Modernize the HART network?
The last time HART conducted a system redesign was back in 2003. Hillsborough County and commuting habits have changed quite a bit since then. That's why Mission MAX provides new connections such as all-day service between Brandon (FY18), and the University of South Florida (FY19), to Downtown and Tampa International Airport.
Mission MAX transitions HART to more of a "grid" network, focusing less on transfer centers, and more on direct, at-stop connections. This may mean the rider having to transfer more, however, with routes
coming more frequently and schedules better entwined, riders should see
overall quicker trips. The final plan means roughly 85% of customers will see service improve!
Mission MAX Aligns routes to operate in a way that makes more sense. No more long, winding, routes, with buses traveling out of direction, or off of main roads. This system redesign is backed by route data analysis, including stop-by-stop ridership data, to maximize HART efficiency.
Mission MAX provides a great foundation for future expansion
Long term, the most important aspect of Mission MAX is that it provides a service network that is sustainable for HART, but also provides a great foundation for expansion in our 10-year Transit Development Plan. Based on current funding projections, we plan to roll out 10 routes operating at 15 minute frequency, or better within roughly 5-6 years. Five of those routes would operate north-south, and five operating east-west.
We are also looking at expanded weekend service on a number of routes, adding and restoring routes, and expanding HART HyperLINK zones, for better connections throughout Hillsborough County.
Mission MAX is just one piece of a plan toward eXcellence, as HART continues to grow and evolve over the next 10 years.
Still have questions about Mission MAX? You can visit the Mission MAX FAQ, or interact with HART on Facebook and Twitter!
HART CEO Katharine Eagan recently went LIVE on Facebook from HART Dispatch to talk Mission MAX!
There has been no shortage of transit studies in the Tampa
Bay area in recent years. In fact, over the past 30 years, more than 55 plans
and studies for transit have been conducted by Tampa Bay area agencies.
But the question remains: How can we turn planning into
projects? Answering this question is the goal of the Regional Transit Feasibility
Plan.
Creation of the plan started in November 2016, with a review
of those 55 previous plans. After that work is complete, the process will move
into creating a plan for a regional transit network, culminating in
recommendations for improvements that address needs in the community and have a
solid chance of getting funding.
The ultimate goal: identify the top transit corridors in the
Tampa Bay region, while determining one “catalyst project” that would be
eligible for federal funding and could be implemented first.
The plan is being funded by the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT) and is being administered by the Hillsborough Area
Regional Transit Authority (HART).
“Our mission is to create a ‘route map’ to implementation,”
said Katharine Eagan, Chief Executive Officer of HART, the agency administering
the plan. “The result, we hope, will be a catalyst project that’s the first of
many projects that will be competitive for federal funding, forward thinking,
and makes the best use of today’s technology.”
The Tampa Bay region is defined for this plan as the
urbanized areas of Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.
The Regional Transit Feasibility Plan will be conducted in
two phases. The first phase consists of a year of technical analysis to identify
the most competitive projects. During the first year, the milestones will
include identifying the most promising corridors for transit, then identifying
what type of transit mode can best serve those corridors, and finally,
determining which projects could potentially be implemented first.
How did we get here?
The starting point for the Regional Transit Feasibility Plan
is the adopted county and regional Long Range Transportation Plans and the more
than 50 plans and studies completed by Tampa Bay area agencies over the past
30-plus years. The step-by-step process will then determine which projects are
the most competitive for implementation.
During phase one, public involvement will be heavily focused
on digital communication (website, online surveys, social media, and e-communication)
but will also offer many in-person opportunities to get engaged (community
workshops, small group meetings, and a stakeholder working group).
Phase two will involve vetting and refining plans for those
specific projects to make sure the catalyst project selected is the best
project for the region and is supported by the community. During phase two, a
wide range of communication tools will be utilized, including public meetings,
workshops, special events, the website, social media, town halls, and regional
transit forums.
“The simplest way to describe what it takes to build a
premium transit project is by answering the following three questions: What is
the project? How is it funded? And who is responsible for building and
maintaining it?” Eagan said. “During this plan, we will be addressing the first
question and identifying possible next steps so the region can move forward
with answering questions two and three.”
To learn more about the Regional Transit Feasibility Plan,
and to participate in our transit preference survey, visit the project website
at www.tbregionaltransit.com.
Customer feedback is a big part of schedule changes!
Throughout the year, HART
planners assess route productivity and update bus service every spring, summer
and fall based on improving safety and efficiency, ridership demands and
trends, and customer feedback. In addition, fares are reviewed every two years
to determine if changes are warranted. The last HART fare change took place in
November 2008. Below is a summary of changes to routes, schedules and fares
effective Sunday, Nov.
11.
Summary of Route Changes:
Routes 50X and 61LX: Due to low
performance as compared to other express routes fully subsidized by HART,
50X and 61LX will merge as a single, local-fare route. Therefore, 61LX
will extend to serve Carrollwood Baptist Church and Citrus Park
Park-n-Rides, previously served by 50X. View
61LX eastbound schedule and map. View
61LX westbound schedule and map.
Brandon Flex: North boundary of
the zone will expand from Oakfield Drive to Brandon Boulevard. In
addition, to improve neighborhood circulation and ridership demand,
regularly scheduled weekday route will be initiated within the Brandon
Flex zone. View
Brandon Flex map. View locations of
Brandon Flex bus stops.
Summary of Schedule Changes:
Route 28X: Due to low
performance as compared to other express routes fully subsidized by HART,
28X will be reduced from two trips in the morning and two in the afternoon
to one trip in the morning and one in the afternoon. View
schedule.
Route 16: Minor schedule
adjustments.
Routes 30, 34 and 39: Frequency
will improve from 35 minutes to 30 minutes.
Brandon Flex: Due to low
ridership, Saturday service will be eliminated.
Holiday service: To match
service to ridership demand and streamline various levels of service
provided on holidays, the following days will be migrated from Saturday to
Sunday level of service: Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.
Most holidays will now operate on a Sunday level of service; Day After
Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Martin Luther King Jr. Day will operate on
a Saturday level of service.
Fare Changes:
The last fare change took place in Nov. 2008
View
new HART fare schedule. HART farecards purchased before Nov. 11
must be activated by Dec. 31, 2012. New HARTPlus fares are effective Nov. 11
regardless of when passes are purchased.
For general information about
HART, visit www.goHART.org or call HART
Customer Service at 813-254-HART (4278).
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