Hillsborough Area Regional Transit

Infobox Bus transit
name = Hillsborough Area Regional Transit

logo_size = 250


image_size = 250px
image_caption = #2015 (with new livery) on the 36 line.
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founded =
headquarters = 1201 E. 7th Avenue
locale = Tampa, Florida
service_area = Hillsborough County
service_type = bus service, paratransit
alliance =
routes =
destinations =
stops =
hubs =
stations =
lounge =
fleet =
ridership =
fuel_type = Diesel, Diesel-electric hybrid
operator =
ceo =
website = [http://www.hartline.org/ hartline.org] (alternatively: [http://www.gohart.org/ gohart.org] )

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (also known as the Hillsborough Transit Authority [http://www.gohart.org/departments/executive/packets/pdf_packets/archive/board_packet_09-08-2008A.pdf] (HART)) provides public transportation for Hillsborough County, Florida. The agency provides fixed-route local and express bus service, door-to-door paratransit service (HARTplus), and manages the TECO Line Streetcar System.

HART Bus Fares

Fares on the HART system are as follows:

*One-Way Cash Fares
**HART Local: $1.50
**Discount Local*: $0.75
**Commuter Express: $2.50
**Discount Express*: $1.25
**HARTline Neighborhood Connectors: $0.50
**Discount Neighborhood Connectors: $0.25
***In-Town Trolley: $0.25**

*HARTride Passes
**1-Day Unlimited Ride
***Local and Limited Express: $3.25
***Discount Local*: $1.60
***Premium Express Card: $6.00

**31-Day Unlimited Ride
***Local and Limited Express: $50.00
***Discount Local*: $25.00
***Commuter Express: $80.00
***Discount Express: $40.00

**20-Ride
***Local and Limited Express: $30.00
***Discount Local*: $15.00
***Commuter Express: $50.00
***Discount Express: $25.00

**3-Day Unlimited Ride Visitor Pass
***Local: $9.75

**Intercounty PSTA/HART Monthly Passport: $85.00
***For use on all PSTA and HART Bus, Trolley, and Streetcar Routes.

**(*)indicates that a HART Discount Permit is required.
**(**)In June 2008, the In-Town Trolley fare was reduced to 25 cents in an effort to boost ridership (http://www.gohart.org/departments/marketing/news/trolley_fare_change_08.htm).

All fares mentioned above are effective as of November 19, 2006.For more information regarding HART fares, [http://www.hartline.org/ride_guide/fares/index.htm click here] .

HART Local Routes

HART operates over 30 different local bus routes, serving as far north as the USF area and Carrollwood to as far south as the SouthShore region. Most local bus routes connect to at least one major hub and operate on weekends, though some lesser used routes have limited to no weekend service. The only exception is the Route 85 (South Tampa Weekend Connector), which only runs on weekends.

*Route 1: Florida Ave
*Route 2: Nebraska Ave
*Route 4: Palma Ceia
*Route 5: 40th St
*Route 6: 56th St
*Route 7: West Tampa/Citrus Park
*Route 8: Progress Village/Brandon
*Route 9: 15th St
*Route 10: Cypress St
*Route 12: 22nd St
*Route 14: Armenia Ave
*Route 15: Columbus Dr
*Route 16: Waters Ave
*Route 18: 30th St
*Route 19: Port Tampa
*Route 30: Kennedy Blvd/Town-n-Country/TPA AIrport
*Route 31: Brandon/SouthShore
*Route 32: MLK Blvd
*Route 33: Fletcher Ave
*Route 34: Hillsborough Ave
*Route 36: Dale Mabry/Himes Ave
*Route 37: West Brandon
*Route 39: Busch Blvd
*Route 41: Sligh Ave
*Route 45: University/Rome Ave/WestShore
*Route 46: Davis Islands/Brandon
*Route 57:Temple Terrace/University

Neighborhood Connector and In-Town Trolley Routes

HARTline has six connector routes and two trolley routes. These routes are generally shorter than an average route.

The two trolley routes are called the "In-Town Trolley" and are distinguished by route number and color. The "Purple Line" - Route 96, runs during weekday mornings and afternoons. And the "Green Line" - Route 97, runs during weekend evenings. Route 96 was originally called the "Uptown/Downtown Connector", along with defunct trolley Route 98 (Hyde Park). Route 97 is funded by the City of Tampa.

Connector fares are as follows:

*Connector Fare Cards
**31-Day Unlimited Connector Card: $10.00
**31-Day Unlimited Discount Connector Card*: $5.00

*About Connector Fare Cards
**Connector Fare Cards are NOT the same as HARTride Passes and are ONLY vaild for Neighborhood Connector and In-Town Trolley Routes.
**All Local and Express HARTride Cards are accepted on all Neighborhood Connector and In-Town Trolley Routes
**Connector cards will be eliminated in November 2008 due to low usage and fare structure revision, see note 1.

Connector routes are as follows:

*83-University Area Connector
*85-South Tampa Weekend Connector (Will be eliminated in November 2008, see note 1)
*87-SouthShore Connector
*88-Town 'n Country
*89-South Tampa Weekday Connector
*96-In-Town Trolley - Purple Line (operates on weekday peak hours only)
*97-In-Town Trolley - Green Line (operates Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 2am)

All fares and routes mentioned above are effective as of November 19, 2006.

Commuter Express Routes

In 2004, HART revised its express bus route system. The changes included new routes to Brandon and Pasco County, changes to existing routes (such as Route 28X), and the addition of 12 new Gillig BRT buses to HART's existing bus fleet (some of these new buses have Wi-Fi). In addition, the name "Commuter Express" was instilled on the system to attract new patrons. Almost all of the Commuter Express routes connect to Downtown Tampa.

*Route 20X: Lutz/Downtown
*Route 22X: Dover/Brandon/Downtown
*Route 23X: Temple Terrace/Downtown
*Route 24X: Fishawk/Riverview/MacDill AFB
*Route 25X: South Brandon/MacDill AFB
*Route 27X: South Brandon/Downtown
*Route 28X: East County/Downtown
*Route 35LX: SouthShore/Brandon Limited
*Route 47LX: SouthShore/Downtown Limited
*Route 50X: Citrus Park/Carrollwood/Downtown
*Route 51X: New Tampa/Downtown
*Route 59LX: Westchase/Town-n-Country/Downtown Limited
*Route 200X: Clearwater

**Routes 100X and 300X are operated by PSTA

Bus Terminals/Transit Centers

The main hub for HART is the Marion Transit Center in Downtown Tampa, serving nearly 30 local and express routes (including PSTA's 100X and 300X). The center was constructed in 2001, replacing the obsolete Northern Terminal, which sat underneath the I-275 viaduct. The Marion Transit Center includes a customer service center, office space, bus driver lounge, restrooms, bus shelters, and an array of public art displays and flanks the northern end of the Marion Street Transitway, which was constructed in the 1980s as a "fare free" zone. This facility also serves as a future stop for HART's proposed BRT system.

Other major bus terminals include:

*University Area Transit Center: Constructed in the late 1990s and located in the USF area, the UATC is the transfer point for 12 local bus routes. This facility includes bus shelters, restrooms, and a customer service center. This facility also serves as a future stop for HART's proposed BRT system.
*NetPark Transfer Center: Located in east Tampa, this facility is a transfer point for 9 local routes and includes restrooms, phones, and vending machines and will serve as a stop for HART's proposed BRT system.
*West Tampa Transfer Center: Located right across the street from Raymond James Stadium, this facility is the transfer point for 5 local routes and a future station for HART's proposed BRT system. Amenities include restrooms, vending machines, and phones.
*Northwest Transfer Center: Located on the corner of Sheldon Road and Waters Ave, the Northwest Transfer Center replaced the makeshift bus depot at Hanley/Waters Plaza. Construction began in the spring of 2007 and was dedicated/opened to patrons July 29, 2008 [http://www.gohart.org/departments/marketing/news/nwtc_opening_2008.htm] . The new facility is equipped with vending machines, restrooms for both patrons and employees, an adjacent park-n-ride lot for Route 59LX and local bus routes, and eight bus loading bays.

**There are also smaller bus terminals in South Tampa/Interbay, Ruskin, Sulphur Springs, and several major shopping malls in Hillsborough County.

Late-night Service

In 2006, HART introduced late-night bus service on nine local bus routes in order to meet the diverse needs of its patrons. Some of these routes now run as late as 1am as a result in the increase of service. Several changes have been made to the original list since 2007.

*Route 1 - Florida Ave (runs until 1am on weekdays, 11:30pm on Saturdays, and 9:30pm on Sundays)
*Route 2 - Nebraska Ave (runs until 1am on weekdays, 12:20am on Saturdays, and 10:50pm on Sundays)
*Route 6 - 56th St (runs until 1:30am on weekdays and 10pm on weekends)
*Route 8 - Progress Village/Brandon (runs until 1:20am on weekdays, and 9:50pm on weekends)
*Route 12 - 22nd St (runs until 1am on weekdays and 10:30pm on weekends)
*Route 19 - Port Tampa (runs until 1:20am on weekends and 10:30pm on weekends)
*Route 30 - Town n' Country (only operates between Downtown Tampa and TPA Airport after 10pm Mon - Fri). Runs until 1:15am on weekdays and 11:15pm on weekends)
*Route 32 - MLK Blvd (runs until 1am on weekdays and 11pm on weekends)
*Route 34 - Hillsborough Ave (runs until 1am on weekdays, 10:30pm on Saturdays, and 9:50pm on Sundays)
*Route 83 - University Area Connector (dropped in 2007 due to low ridership in the late night hours. final trips leave at 9:30pm on weekdays, 10pm on Saturdays, and 7pm on Sundays.)

Florida Property Tax Reform

Like many local agencies throughout Florida, HART was forced in 2007 to cut its budget by $1.7 million. As a result of this, HARTflex service was cancelled and numerous routes saw drawbacks in service. Limited Express Route 52 and Trolley Route 98 were eliminated due to low ridership.

Unrelated to the to the budget cuts, the Hooter's Lunchtime Express Shuttle was cancelled in December 2007 after operating for nearly four years. The midday shuttle service from Downtown Tampa to the Hooter's Restaurant in Channelside was a joint effort between Hooters and HART. No reason was given on the HART website as to why the service was stopped (http://www.hartline.org/departments/marketing/news/hooters_cancelled.htm).

Future plans

Despite drawbacks caused by state and county mandated budget cuts, HART is striving to improve transit service in the future. According to [http://www.gohart.org/departments/marketing/news/community_report_2008.pdf HART's 2008 Community Report] , the following improvements and expansions are on the horizon.

ervice Enhancements/Reductions (2008 and 2009)

Proposed for FY 2008/2009 are a series of system enhancements and reductions to improve efficiency throughout the HART system and cut under performing routes. Changes will include increasing frequency on Route 2 during the midday on weekdays from 30 minutes to 20 minutes. Route 30 between downtown and Tampa International Airport will also see frequency increased from 30 minutes to 15 minutes on weekdays and 60 minutes to 30 minutes on weekends (will not take effect until 2009). However, connector Route 85 will be cut in order to trim HART's already tight budget (caused by the property tax rollback). Other enhancements and reductions are in the works for next year as well as in Summer 2008, when the Northwest Transfer Center opens. Also, the current fare structure will be revised, with a base fare increase of 25 cents. [HART [http://www.gohart.org/departments/marketing/news/service_changes/index.htm Proposed Service and Fare Changes for FY 2008/2009] ]

HARTflex

HARTflex is a proposed neighborhood connector system which will utilize mini buses to transport patrons from their home or business to points within their neighborhood or to a connecting local or express route. Patrons would need to call HART prior to their trip and place a reservation. The areas of focus include Temple Terrace, Carrollwood, Town-n-Country, Brandon, and Seffner and fares are proposed to be the same as a standard bus fare. The proposed routes are listed as follows.

*Route 501 - Town N' Country (Will replace Neighborhood Connector Route 88)
*Route 502 - Carrollwood
*Route 503 - Temple Terrace
*Route 504 - Seffner
*Route 505 - Northwest Brandon
*Route 506 - Northeast Brandon
*Route 507 - South Brandon
*Route 587 - SouthShore (will replace Neighbrohood Connector Route 87) [HART [http://www.gohart.org/departments/marketing/news/service_changes/index.htm Proposed Service and Fare Changes for FY 2008/2009] ]

HARTflex service was supposed to begin around March/April 2007 but was delayed due to (bus driver) union issues. The launch was shelved in August 2007 due to budget cuts by the agency caused by Florida's property tax reform plan. However, according to [http://www.gohart.org/departments/marketing/news/community_report_2008.pdf HART's 2008 Community Report] (page 2), it is currently proposed that HARTflex begin service sometime before 2010, though an exact date has not yet been specified. In June 2008, HART announced that Connector Route 87 would be replaced by HARTflex service in the SouthShore area due to low ridership.

*"The HARTflex service is not to be confused with the HART service of the same name provided by HARTplus, as that service only provides flex route services to the elderly and persons with disabilities."

Bus Rapid Transit

In 2004, HART begin preliminary planning for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. One route is slated to connect Downtown Tampa to the USF area via Nebraska Ave, HART's busiest bus corridor [http://www.gohart.org/departments/marketing/news/community_report_2008.pdf] , with a second route connecting East Tampa to Tampa International Airport via Hillsborough Ave and MLK Blvd. In August 2006, the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners voted to invest $40 million into the BRT project. Further funding has been obtained since then for the North-South route. However, the East-West route remains largely unfunded. [http://www.gohart.org/departments/marketing/news/brt-2007.htm]

Tampa International Airport Transfer Center

HART and the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority are currently discussing plans to build a transfer center at Tampa International Airport, according to HART's 2008 Community Report. The proposed facility will facilitate connections to the East/West BRT route, Local Bus Route 30, and other HART and PSTA WestShore-bound routes (which are currently being proposed). There is currently no word as to when construction will begin or if funding has been allocated.

treetcar Extension

Currently, the TECOline Streetcar system terminates at the Southern Transportation Plaza just south of the downtown Tampa core. Plans have been in the works for years to extend the line up Franklin St, into downtown. Funding has been a primary issue for the proposed extension, but some needed money has been allocated for the project. There is no official word as to when construction of the extension will begin. However, preliminary reports suggest that construction will begin sometime after January 2009.

Intelligent Transportation Systems

According to HART's 2008 Community Report, efforts are currently underway to construct an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). Elements of this project include installing surveillance cameras and audio monitoring equipment, GPS systems, automated annunciator systems, real-time information display signs and other elements to all HART buses and several transfer centers. Such systems will allow patrons in the future to see in real-time, upcoming departures, major intersections, landmarks, and connecting routes.

Bus fleet reorganization/improvements

Another improvement to HART's existing bus fleet is the repainting of buses to better match the livery that us already carried by Commuter Express buses. However, instead of the purple and white livery of the express buses, local buses are being repainted in a blue and white scheme (matching the colors of HART's logo). A few of these repainted buses have already rolled out (see infobox or fleet photos).

Fleet

References

* [http://www.hartline.org/old_site/news/new_service/november_mark-up.pdf HART's 2006/2007 proposed fare and service changes] A list of service and fare changes that will encompass FY 2006/2007.
* [http://www.hartline.org/departments/marketing/news/hartflex/index.htm HARTflex] HARTflex Information.
* [http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB1AMXDIXE.html HART To Take Riders From Door To Store] Tampa Tribune - January 29, 2007.
* [http://www.bn9.com/content/36/2007/4/3/236417.html?title=Hillsborough+County+to+start+door-to-door+bus+service Hillsborough County to start door-to-door bus service] Bay News 9 - 4/3/07.
* [http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/jun/24/me-hart-to-scale-back-service/?news-metro HART To Scale Back Service] Tampa Tribune - June 24, 2007.
* [http://www.sptimes.com/2007/07/08/State/Bus_systems_roll_with.shtml Bus systems roll with cuts] St. Petersburg Times - July 8, 2007.

External links

* [http://www.hartline.org/ HARTline]
* [http://www.tecolinestreetcar.org/ TECO Line Streetcar System]