Fran Davin  HART Board Vice Chair

Better public transportation for our community has been a continuing concern of mine since I served a term on the founding Board of Directors of HART back in the 1980's. Long-time riders will remember that voters created HARTline by referendum in 1980, which was the beginning of building a countywide transit system. 

When I rejoined the HART Board three years ago, I was so impressed with how much HART had expanded its system; more routes, better service for persons with disabilities, comfortable coaches, and more people riding the buses! 

HART ridership continues to climb every month, and this agency is on its way to achieving 13 million trips this year. This would be a record-breaker for HART! But to me, it's not a surprise. When you provide accessible and quality bus service, it's easy for all residents to recognize the value of public transit.

In particular, HART ridership for express bus service has been on the rise, with some routes achieving more than a 30 percent ridership increase in June compared to the same month last year. Ten of the 13 HART express routes travel to and from Downtown Tampa every week day. These express routes help build Tampa's urban core, and without them, it would mean thousands of more cars converging into downtown during rush hour and thousands of more parking spaces needed to accommodate these additional cars. Could you imagine?

In this issue of A Community with HART, read everything you need to know about HART express bus service. There are several features you may not be aware of that add on to the accessibility and convenience of our express routes. From special passes, to a robust park-and-ride system, to the In-Town Trolley Line. Just read on, and you'll soon see why more people are expressing themselves!

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and I'll see you on the bus!

Express bus customers: Please take this quick SURVEY  

HART is seeking to recognize an outstanding, Hillsborough County, small, minority business, which will receive one month of bus advertising and two weeks of television advertising. Nominations for this recognition are currently being accepted through Aug. 14.

Nominations may be submitted via email at adinfo@goHART.org or mailed to HART Marketing Department, 1201 E. Seventh Ave. in Tampa, 33605. Nominations will be judged based on selection criteria, and more importantly, how a submission  demonstrates the individual impact HART has had on its business. Nominations may be submitted in the form of a narrative, still or video images, or any other creative messaging. 

For more information on selection criteria and submitting a nomination, visit www.goHART.org/minoritybusiness 

2011 HART Summer Blast Pass has been reduced to $15, and it's good for unlimited rides on HART regular buses through August 31! Plus, receive $3 off a Pollo Tropical Family Meal when you flash this pass. 

 

Pictures of Downtown Tampa's nighttime, waterfront skyline are serene, and lights peeking through windows of tall buildings add sparkle and glitter.

But for any of the 50,000 employees who work in Downtown Tampa on any given week day, an impressive skyline is simply the hustle and bustle of a government and commercial business district.

During rush hour, these employees converge into Downtown Tampa's 220 blocks, home to more than 9 million square feet of office space.

That's why downtown employees should know all about going express.

• 13 express routes. HART operates 13 express routes that serve every major residential area of Hillsborough County and travel a combined 1,878 daily miles! Monday - Friday, these express buses transport thousands of riders from Westchase, Lutz/Pasco County, MacDill, South County, Brandon/Bloomingdale, Plant City, Carrollwood and Temple Terrace. Ten of these 13 routes travel into Downtown Tampa. In addition, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority operates two express routes from St. Petersburg into Tampa; one route crosses the Howard Frankland Bridge and another that crosses the Gandy Bridge.
• Park + Ride = Easy. HART express routes are complemented by 24 park-and-ride facilities throughout Hillsborough County. It's just that simple -- park the car then hop on HART to ride the bus to work! The best part is these facilities are FREE to use, and each is well lit for your safety.

  HART Express Bus Route System

• Fares. Express bus fares vary to fit the needs of every rider. From a $2.75 one-way pass that can be purchased with cash aboard the express bus, to a 10-pack for $50, to a 31-Day Pass for $90. For Limited Express riders, a one-way pass is $1.75, a 10-pack is $34, and a 31-Day Pass is $60. Discounted passes are available for youth and seniors. All bus passes are available for purchase at the HART Transit Store via www.goHART.org. Many downtown employers are part of the Commuter Choice Program, offering subsidized bus passes for employees. 
• Express v. Limited Express. Limited express bus routes have a few more stops than regular express routes, but fares cost less than regular express bus routes. Limited express fares are equal to those of local bus route fares. 
• In-Town Trolley. Express routes take you to the core of Downtown Tampa, but if you're not quite there, then hop on the In-Town Trolley - Purple Line. This line connects people to stops within Downtown Tampa on a 15-minute frequency. It operates Monday - Friday, 6 - 9 a.m. and 3 - 6 p.m. It starts at Marion Transit Center, travels along Tampa Street, to Harbour Island, then back to Marion Transit Center via Florida Avenue. The fare is only 25 cents, or just use your express bus pass.  
• Emergency Ride Home. One common question many working professionals have about public transportation is what they will do when life's little emergencies arise. Those who ride the bus -- whether express or regular routes -- at least two days a week don't have to worry about being stranded at work without a car in case of an emergency. The Emergency Ride Home Program provides free taxi rides (up to eight rides each year) in case of personal illness, family emergency, or unexpected overtime. To register, call TBARTA Commuter Services at (800) 998-RIDE.

Two of the 13 express routes provide a connection to MacDill Airforce Base, 24X and 25LX, and these are also the busiest express routes, with more than 10,000 rides taken in June 2011. Ridership for 24X was up 37 percent in 

June 2011 compared to the same month last year, and ridership for 25LX was up 22 percent in June 2011 compared to the same month last year.

24X has five trips each morning, first one at 5:10 a.m. and last one at 6:05 a.m., and five each afternoon, first one at 2:58 p.m. and last one at 4:58 p.m. The route begins from the FishHawk Sports Complex Park and Ride, on FishHawk Boulevard west of Lithia Pinecrest Road, and also stops at the Riverview Oaks Park and Ride, located next to U-Save on 9620 U.S. Highway 301 S. It then goes on to 6th Medical Group at MacDill Airforce Base, CENTCOM and lastly to SOCOM.

The FishHawk Park and Ride contains 95 parking spaces, and boasts shelters, bench seating and bike racks. Knowing the customers of 24X are men and women of service, every month Military Connects, a ministry of FishHawk Fellowship Church, sets up a table with coffee and homemade breakfast goodies to offer to MacDill personnel before they hop on HART and head to work.

25LX also has five trips each morning, first one at 5:30 a.m. and the last one at 6:10 a.m., and five each afternoon, first one at 2:58 and last one at 5:08 p.m. It starts from the corner of Bell Shoals Road and Bloomingdale Avenue, and makes another stop before it picks up customers at J.C. Handley Park and Ride, which also has shelters, bench seating and bike racks. This facility contains 110 parking spacesThe route continues to 6th Medical Group at MacDill Airforce Base, CENTCOM and lastly to SOCOM.

HART appreciates our military members who support public transit. On behalf of HART, thank you for your service to our country! 

Patrick Murray, HART Patron View Video

I take the 20X from Lutz to Downtown Tampa every day. I started taking it about two months ago, after I dropped off my mother at a bus stop. She had recently moved here from New York and was accustomed to riding public transit everywhere. I thought to myself, I should try riding the bus myself too. Ironically, the commute time is shorter than when I drove a vehicle into work. And, with the recent extension of the 20X further north into Lutz, more time has been cut from my commute because it's a shorter drive to my pick up point. I save about $400 a month riding the bus, and savings are probably more when I take into account what's spent on car maintenance.

Patrick Murray has been working in Downtown Tampa for about 15 years, and since riding the 20X, he saves gas on a daily commute of more than 30 miles! Read more about our chat with him at the HART Tampa Bay Transit Blog ...