On September 3, Justin Willits, Director of Planning for Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), proposed making Route 1 a fare-free bus route at the request of the City Council. Route 1 was chosen due to its high ridership, serving approximately 3,000 passengers daily. The route runs between the University Area and downtown Tampa.
Willits highlighted that 32,000 residents and 56,000 jobs are located within a quarter mile of Route 1. Additionally, 18% of residents in this area do not own a vehicle, 26% live below the poverty line, 64% are part of a minority group, and 14% have a disability.
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The proposal suggests that eliminating fares could improve access to the route, and the lack of payment processing could reduce wait times. Pick-up intervals could decrease from 20 minutes to 15 minutes, bringing the bus schedule in line with the TECO Streetcar service.
Free-fare bus could be available next January
City Council member Gwen Henderson voiced concerns about the proposal. “My issue with this is that there are other routes in our city that aren’t free, and it’s really about equity,” said Henderson. She also suggested that the funds might be better used to address Tampa’s flooding issues.
The estimated cost of piloting a free-fare bus service for one year is around $1.5 million. Further budget decisions are needed to allocate the necessary funds, and HART and the City Council are working on negotiations.
The City Council narrowly voted to proceed with the next steps, passing the motion 4-3. Final approval hinges on the HART Board meeting scheduled for September 23. If approved, free bus rides along Route 1 could begin in January.
Bulls ride free on select HART routes
In case you didn’t know, University of South Florida students showing a new valid USF ID can ride HART Local, Limited Express, MetroRapid and Flex routes FREE. And it isn’t just students who are in on the deal. USF faculty and staff pay just 50¢ with their new valid USF ID card. Learn more here.
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