HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) is holding a series of community outreach sessions and public hearings to discuss upcoming service changes and seek public input regarding proposed changes to the bus system.
HART is requesting feedback regarding the removal of Route 96/97 — In-Towner in downtown Tampa.
The In-Towner Route 96 has a weekday service every 15 minutes from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The In-Towner Route 97 has Saturday service every 30 minutes 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
However, low ridership has HART reconsidering if continuing the route is worth the cost.
Fred Dixon works at a major hotel in downtown Tampa and says he uses the In-Towner Route 96 every day to get to his job. He is hoping the route isn’t eliminated.
"I hope they don't stop it,” he said. "HART is doing a lot of stuff for us who go to work and I hope they don't stop this here ride because it's convenient.”
The In-Towner is free for customers. The City of Tampa pays for this service.
HART is in discussion with the City of Tampa to re-purpose the In-Towner funds and possibly use it towards the TECO Line Streetcar System. The focus is to make the streetcar a more viable transit option for riders, HART said.
In addition, the public meetings will allow the authority to connect with transit customers and the community and get feedback for a new proposed service option called Route 48 that will provide services in the Temple Terrace area.
The meetings will be in an open house format where customers can arrive within the meeting window, discuss the proposals and provide feedback. The public is strongly encouraged to attend to review the proposed changes and provide input.
The community outreach sessions and public hearings dates and locations in May are:
- Route 96/97 - In-Towner
- COMMUNITY OUTREACH
- Thursday, May 17, 2018
- 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- HART Marion Transit Center (MTC)
- 1211 N. Marion Street
- Tampa, FL 33602
- PUBLIC HEARING
- Monday, May 21, 2018
- 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- HART Marion Transit Center (MTC)
- 1211 N. Marion Street
- Tampa, FL 33602
- COMMUNITY OUTREACH
- Route 48 - Temple Terrace
- COMMUNITY OUTREACH
- Wednesday, May 16, 2018
- 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Temple Terrace Public Library
- 202 Bullard Pkwy.
- Temple Terrace, FL 33617
- PUBLIC HEARING
- Tuesday, May 22, 2018
- 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Temple Terrace City Hall
- 11250 N. 56th St.
- Temple Terrace, FL 33617
- COMMUNITY OUTREACH
HART staff will be available at all the meetings to answer any questions the public may have.
Members of the public with any comments or questions concerning community outreach and public hearings may be directed to HART Service Development, 1201 East 7th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605, or by email at servdev@goHART.org.
To learn more about the proposed service changes, visit www.gohart.org.
