Hillsborough Area Regional Transit
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| Parent | Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1980 |
| Headquarters | 1201 E. 7th Avenue |
| Locale | Tampa, Florida |
| Service area | Hillsborough County |
| Service type | Bus Streetcar Paratransit |
| Routes | 26 local, 7 express, 1 Streetcar, 5 flex, MetroRapid |
| Hubs | Downtown Tampa, USF Area |
| Fleet | 169 |
Daily ridership | 34,900 (weekdays, Q1 2026)[1] |
Annual ridership | 11,937,500 (2025)[2] |
| Fuel type | Diesel, CNG |
Chief executive | Scott Drainville (Interim) [3] |
| Website | gohart.org |
Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), also known as the Hillsborough Transit Authority,[4] is the public transportation provider for Hillsborough County, Florida. The agency operates fixed-route local and express bus service, paratransit service, demand-response service, MetroRapid service, and the TECO Line Streetcar system. In 2025, the system had a ridership of 11,937,500.
History
[edit]Budget cuts and system reorganization (2007 - 2011)
[edit]Like many local agencies throughout Florida, HART was forced in 2007 to cut its budget by $1.7 million.[5] As a result of this, HARTflex service was canceled and numerous routes saw drawbacks in service. Limited Express Route 52 and Trolley Route 98 were eliminated due to low ridership.
During the 2009/2010 fiscal year, HART slashed another $3 million from its budget in order to compensate for additional property tax revenue losses. This move was achieved by trimming service in Town-N-Country and North Tampa, as well as cutting underutilized trips on numerous routes.[6] To counteract plummeting property tax revenues, HART proposed to switch to a sales tax-based system which many other transit agencies in Florida already use. Hillsborough County attempted to pass such a measure during the 2010 election season, but it failed by a 58/42% margin.[7]
Despite drawbacks caused by state and county mandated budget cuts and the global recession, the agency was attempting to improve transit service by managing existing service while cutting under-performing service and gradually raising fares. HART's 2008 Community Report outlined several key changes, such as the introduction of HARTflex service—a demand responsive transit system—and the MetroRapid bus rapid transit system.[8]
Since 2010, a majority of HART's routes have had their paths changed. These changes included moving or eliminating inefficient segments and adding services to better serve riders in the long term. Several under-performing routes, such as Neighborhood Connector routes 87, 88, and 89, were eliminated in favor of neighboring transit routes, HARTflex service, or—in the case of Route 59LX—by improved services (Route 61LX). HART also began testing a limited stop route, Route 6LTD, to replace Route 23X.[9]
With many fiscal impacts looming to negatively impact HART's future plans and budgeting, including, but not limited to: , and the national trend of declining transit ridership, In 2017, HART conducted an analysis of the entire system to reduce operating costs, preparing for possible reductions in property tax revenues and federal transit funding support. Public outreach began during the spring of 2017 and continued through that summer, eventually leading up to the announcement of a system-wide restructuring effort called Mission MAX, which will attempt to modernize the system to operate a more grid-like system, shorten travel times, and provide more direct service to popular destinations.[10]
Services
[edit]HART currently operates 26 local bus and 7 express bus routes. In addition, the agency operates the TECO Line Streetcar, 5 HartFlex Van Routes, and the MetroRapid BRT line.
Local buses
[edit]| No. | Name | Terminals | Operates | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida Avenue | Marion Transit Center - Tampa | University Area Transit Center - Tampa | Daily (Frequent Weekday Service) | Buses run every 15 minutes during the day on weekdays, every 30 minutes during the day on weekends, and every 30 to 60 minutes during evenings. |
| 5 | 40th Street | Daily | |||
| 6 | 56th Street | Midway terminus is Netpark Transfer Center. | |||
| 7 | West Tampa | Tampa Bay Blvd @ Dale Mabry Hwy - West Tampa | Replaced part of Route 11 in 2005. Replaced part of Route 14 in 2017. | ||
| 8 | Progress Village/Brandon | Westfield Brandon Mall - Brandon | |||
| 9 | 15th/30th Streets | University Area Transit Center - Tampa | Replaced part of Route 18 in 2017. | ||
| 10 | Cypress Street | Tampa International Airport CONRAC Facility | Replaced by HARTFlex in 2017 due to low ridership, but restored in 2021. | ||
| 12 | 22nd Street | University Area Transit Center - Tampa | |||
| 14 | Armenia/Howard Avenues | Yukon Transit Center - Tampa | Swann Ave @ Howard Ave - Tampa | Replaced part of Route 7 in 2017. | |
| 15 | Columbus Drive | WestShore Plaza - Tampa | NetPark Transfer Center - East Tampa | Daily (Frequent Weekday Service) | |
| 16 | Waters Avenue | Northwest Transfer Center - Town-N-Country | Yukon Transfer Center - Tampa | Daily | |
| 17 | Port Tampa/Manhattan Avenue | Britton Plaza - Tampa | Idaho St and O'Brien St - Tampa | Created in 2017, replacing select trips on Route 19. | |
| 19 | South Tampa | Marion Transit Center - Tampa | Britton Plaza - Tampa | Does not serve Davis Islands in the southbound direction. | |
| 30 | Kennedy Boulevard/Airport | Northwest Transfer Center - Town-N-Country | Re-extended to Northwest Transfer Center in 2021, replacing Route 35 and HARTFlex South Tampa.[11] | ||
| 31 | South Hillsborough County | Westfield Brandon Mall - Brandon | SouthShore Regional Service Center | Weekday Only | Rerouted on Riverview Drive on July 1, 2018. |
| 32 | Dr. MLK Jr. Boulevard | NetPark Transfer Center - East Tampa | Tampa International Airport CONRAC Facility | Daily | On October 8, 2017, extended west from the West Tampa Transfer Center to Tampa International Airport. |
| 33 | Fletcher Avenue/Northdale | Hidden River Corporate Park - Tampa Palms | St. Joseph's Hospital North | Buses travel between Dale Mabry Hwy and the University Area Transit Center only on weekends. Replaced part of the MetroRapid in 2017. Replaced HARTFlex Northdale in 2021.[11] | |
| 34 | Hillsborough Avenue | NetPark Transfer Center - East Tampa | Northwest Transfer Center - Town-N-Country | ||
| 36 | Dale Mabry Highway/Himes Avenue | Britton Plaza - Tampa | Dale Mabry Hwy @ Fletcher Ave - Carrollwood | Replaced part of Route 4 in 2006. On October 8, 2017, section south of Britton Plaza Transfer Center became part of Route 360LX. | |
| 37 | Brandon/NetPark | NetPark Transfer Center - East Tampa | Westfield Brandon Mall - Brandon | ||
| 38 | Mango/Brandon | Created in 2017, replacing select trips on Route 32. Replaced HARTFlex Brandon in 2021.[11] | |||
| 39 | Busch Boulevard/Gunn Highway | Northwest Transfer Center - Town-N-Country | Netpark Transfer Center - East Tampa | Replaced part of Route 6 in 2017. | |
| 42 | University Area Connector | University Area Transit Center - Tampa | University Area Transit Center - Tampa (Circular) | Route interlines with Route 45. Began service in 2017, replacing parts of Routes 1, 9, and 57. | |
| 44 | Sinclair Hills Connector | New route started in 2021; it is a restoration of part of Route 1, part of Route 18, and part of Route 33 that had been cut in 2017.[11] | |||
| 45 | University Area/WestShore | WestShore Plaza - Tampa | |||
| 46 | Brandon Boulevard | Westfield Brandon Mall - Brandon | Dover Park-N-Ride Lot - Dover | ||
| 48 | Temple Terrace | University Area Transit Center - Tampa | NetPark Transfer Center - East Tampa | ||
| 400 | MetroRapid North-South | Marion Transit Center - Downtown Tampa | University Area Transit Center - Tampa | Currently the only MetroRapid BRT Route in service. Due to the discontinuation of Route 2, additional stops were added between MetroRapid bus stations on Nebraska Avenue and Fletcher Avenue. | |
Neighborhood Flex
[edit]HART provides the HART Flex Service consisting of commuter vans that have routes in designated areas. Walk-up service is provided at regular HART stops along the Flex service route. Alternatively, riders can reserve a pick-up or drop-off at a location not at a HART stop by calling to reserve between 2 and 72 hours in advance. Walk-up service may be limited by the number of reservations. The fare is $1.00 for a one-way trip and $2.00 for an all-day pass. The service areas are typically 2.5 miles from a preset route. Several zones were established in 2017, but replaced by conventional buses in 2021.[11] The remaining routes are:
- 571 - South County Flex: Bi-Direction from HCC Southshore Campus to La Estancia Apartments Guadalupe via Sun City Center.
- 576 - East Fletcher
Commuter Express
[edit]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 the existing HART bus fleet. Most commuter express routes were connected to Downtown Tampa. Some express routes operate on a peak direction schedule during rush hour, while others operate on an all-day schedule.
With the 2017 Mission MAX restructuring, routes 21LX, 22X, 27LX, 28X, 47LX, 61LX, and 200X were eliminated and routes 60LX and 360LX began service, as well as route 275LX at a later date.
| No. | Name | Terminals | Midway Stop(s) (if any) | Operates | Direction | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24LX | Fishhawk/South Tampa Limited Express | FishHawk Sports Complex Park-n-Ride - Brandon | MacDill AFB - Tampa | Kennedy Blvd @ Pierce St (AM Trip only), Jackson St @ Pierce St (PM Trip only) - Downtown Tampa | Monday through Friday Only | Peak Direction | Was 24X before October 8, 2017, and downtown stops were added that day. |
| 25LX | Bloomingdale/South Tampa Limited Express | Bloomingdale Park-n-Ride - Brandon | Kennedy Blvd @ Pierce St (AM Trip only), Jackson St @ Pierce St (PM Trip only) - Downtown Tampa | Reclassified as "LX" service on July 11, 2010. Like 24LX, buses stop midway at Downtown Tampa since October 8, 2017. | |||
| 275LX | New Tampa/Pasco Limited Express | Marion Transit Center - Downtown | Wiregrass Park-n-Ride - Westley Chapel | University Area Transit Center - USF Area | Daily | Bi-Directional | Hourly service seven days a week. Operates full route on weekdays, and only from Wiregrass Park-n-Ride to University Area Transit Center on weekends. Route is in service since July 1, 2018; replaced Route 51X. |
| 360LX | Brandon/South Tampa Limited Express | MacDill AFB - Tampa | J.C Hanley Park - Brandon | Britton Plaza - South Tampa, Marion Transit Center - Downtown Tampa | Hourly service seven days a week. Operates full route on weekdays and Saturdays, and MacDill to Britton Plaza only on Sundays. | ||
MetroRapid
[edit]MetroRapid is HART's "light" bus rapid transit service, which began service on May 28, 2013. MetroRapid currently consists of one line, the north–south line (numbered as Route 400), which runs from Downtown Tampa to the University Area Transit Center via Nebraska and Fletcher Avenues daily, every 15 minutes.[12]
TECO Line Streetcar system
[edit]
The TECO Line is a 2.7-mile (4.3 km) streetcar line that runs along Downtown Tampa, through the Channel District, and Ybor City. The line opened in 2002 and features replicas of trolleys that operated on the original Tampa Streetcar Line, which closed in 1946.
Late-night service
[edit]In 2006, HART introduced late-night bus service on nine local bus routes in order to meet the diverse needs of its riders. Some of these routes now run as late as 12 am as a result in the increase of service. Since 2007, the number of routes running weekday services beyond 8:00pm has increased to 16 routes.
Fares
[edit]As of January 2025, a standard one-way adult fare on most HART services is $2.00, with fares being capped at $4.00 a day when using a Flamingo smart card or the Flamingo app.[13] Paper tickets were phased out in December 2024.[14] HART offers free or discounted fares for youth, students, seniors, Medicare users, and disabled people through the Flamingo app and partnerships.[13] [15]
Facilities
[edit]
Like many transit agencies, HART has operated its bus system similar to a hub and spoke model. However, with system redesigns taking place in 2005 and 2017, the reliance on traditional hubs has lessened in favor of a grid-based system where transfers are done at key intersections and corridors.
The main hub for HART is the Marion Transit Center in Downtown Tampa, serving 16 local and express routes including Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) as well as FlixBus and Greyhound intercity buses. The center was constructed in 2001, replacing the obsolete Northern Terminal, which sat underneath the I-275 viaduct. The Marion Transit Center is located at the northern end of the Marion Street Transitway and includes a customer service center, office space, bus driver lounge, restrooms, bus shelters, and an array of public art displays.
Other major bus terminals include:
- University Area Transit Center: Constructed in the late 1990s and located near the University of South Florida, the UATC is the transfer point for 10 local bus routes. The facility includes basic facilities and a customer service center. Prior to the UATC's construction, HART spent several years considering other locations as a transfer point in the university area, including University Mall. However, the University Mall plan failed to materialize due to financial problems and community opposition.[16][17][18]
- NetPark Transfer Center: Located in east Tampa (off 56th Street and Hillsborough Ave), this facility is a transfer point for 8 local routes and includes restrooms, phones, and vending machines and will serve as a stop for HART's MetroRapid system.
- Northwest Transfer Center: Located on the corner of Sheldon Road and Waters Ave, the Northwest Transfer Center replaced a makeshift bus depot at Hanley/Waters Plaza. Construction began in the spring of 2007 and was opened to riders on July 29, 2008.[19] The facility serves four local bus routes.
- Tampa International Airport Rental Car Facility Bus Hub: Located on the grounds of Tampa International Airport, adjacent to the Rental Car Facility. Riders can connect to the airport terminal via SkyConnect.
Plans
[edit]HART has the following projects planned to begin service within the next five years.
West Shore Multi-Modal Center
[edit]HART and the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority have been discussing plans to build a transfer center at Tampa International Airport since 2008. Originally, the facility was to be located at the corner of O'Brien and Spruce streets [permanent dead link] but was dropped in 2011 in favor of a site closer to the TPA terminal.[20] Plans for any transfer center on TPA property were deemed unviable in 2012 following global economic downturn and the consolidation of the airline industry on TPA's broad terminal expansion plans. In March, 2013, plans were unveiled for a possible Multi-Modal center along Interstate 275 in the WestShore Business District that could cater to multiple bus connections, light rail or commuter rail lines, and a People Mover system connecting the airport. This plan is heavily dependent on whether public transit in both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are able to further expand. This in-turn, would be dependent on future funding situations.[21][22] As of 2020, the multi-modal center remains a part of the Florida Department of Transportation's Tampa Bay NEXT interstate-based transportation plan.
TRANSitFORMATION
[edit]In September 2019, HART has several plans for the future of transportation in Hillsborough County under the hashtag #TRANSitFORMATION. Some of these plans include improvements and added services on select routes, more detailed information and improvements in bus shelters, adding electric bus pilots to their fleet and replacing select gas/diesel fuel buses, adding more Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes along Florida Ave, Nebraska Ave and Fowler Ave. also, HART has planned future commuter passenger rail or high speed rail transport across Hillsborough and its neighboring counties among the CSX rail corridor and possible future extensions for the TECO Streetcar Line.
Fleet
[edit]
 | This section needs more citations. (October 2025) |
As of October 2023, most local/express HART buses follow a blue and white livery. Trolley buses are in a similar pale blue/white livery, and MetroRapid buses are in a green/gray/white livery. Since an incident in 2019, buses have tempered glass protection doors to protect drivers from future attacks.[23][24]
Beginning in August 2009, HART retired its fleet of Gillig Phantom buses, which were in operations since 1996 and 1997. In 2009, these buses were replaced by 30 Gillig Low Floor buses that were purchased with the help of federal stimulus funds. Although seven of the Phantoms had taken out of service by 2007, HART kept three in service beyond that time. By mid-September 2009, all of the 30-foot (9.1 m) Gillig Phantom buses were retired, along with most 35-foot (11 m) models. The final nine buses were phased out during the week of September 30, 2009.
In November 2011, HART was awarded a $2.3 million federal grant to build a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling station at its operations facility, which was completed in 2013.[25] In 2014, HART began purchasing CNG transit buses, along with a small fleet of CNG powered paratransit vans. As of 2020, there are 70 CNG powered buses in the fleet.
In 2020, the agency received a $2.7 million federal grant to purchase 4 electric buses.[26] These buses were expected to be on the road by 2022, though it is unclear which manufacturer will be selected to produce them.[speculation?]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Transit Ridership Report First Quarter 2026" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. May 28, 2026. Retrieved June 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 20, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
- ↑ "About HART Team". gohart.org. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ↑ http://www.gohart.org/departments/executive/packets/pdf_packets/archive/board_packet_09-08-2008A.pdf[permanent dead link]
- ↑ Brassfield, Mike (July 8, 2007). "State: Bus systems roll with cuts". www.sptimes.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ↑ Shopes, Rich (May 18, 2009). "U-Turn Ahead". tbo.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-01. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ↑ "Hillsborough's light rail tax defeat turns talk to regional rail". tbo.com. November 22, 2010. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ↑ "HART Flex". www.gohart.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
- ↑ "HART" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2011-02-12.
- ↑ "What is Mission MAX?". In Transit. Hillsborough Area Regional Transit. August 25, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "January 2021 Service Modifications" (PDF). gohart.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-02-01.
- ↑ Chamberlain, Alexis Quinn (2013-05-14). "HART MetroRapid North-South To Begin Services In Hillsborough". 83 Degrees Media. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
- 1 2 "HARTRide Farecards | HART". gohart.org. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
- ↑ Wronka, Tim (September 4, 2024). "HART gets rid of paper fares, considers price changes". Bay News 9. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ↑ "HART - Tampa, Florida. University of South Florida Bus Pass". gohart.org. Hillsborough Area Regional Transit. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
- ↑ Mahan, Mike (January 14, 1994). "New bus transfer station still draws neighbors' ire". pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ↑ Frederick, Lisa (1994-07-19). "Transfer station at mall delayed Series: TAMPA BAY & STATE". pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Archived from the original on 2009-05-11. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
- ↑ "HARTline bumped off plan at mall". pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Archived from the original on 2009-05-11. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
- ↑ "Northwest Transfer Center Opens". www.gohart.org. Archived from the original on 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
- ↑ Jackovics, Ted (June 7, 2011). "Bus terminal could be relocated to Tampa airport". tbo.com. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Proposed Tampa International transit hub would be off-site". TBO.com. Archived from the original on 2013-03-16. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
- ↑ Staffer, Jamal ThaljiFormer Times. "Westshore will be the hub when — or if — mass transit comes to Tampa Bay". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
- ↑ "Installation begins of driver safety shields on HART buses". FOX 13 News. October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ↑ Roa, Ray (June 13, 2019). "HART to spend $1 million installing protective barriers on Hillsborough buses". Creative Loafing Tampa. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ↑ Shopes, Rich (November 26, 2011). "Hillsborough transit agency converting its fleet to natural gas - St. Petersburg Times". www.tampabay.com. Archived from the original on November 27, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ↑ Johnston, Caitlin (August 12, 2020). "Hillsborough bus agency gets $2.7 million for four electric buses". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
External links
[edit]