The Tampa Streetcar is the coolest way to get around the city of Tampa, and it continues to shatter its ridership records in 2022. At a time when cities across the country are rethinking, and revamping alternative means of transit, the streetcar is a glowing example of mobility. The TECO Line Streetcar is a heritage streetcar transit line in Tampa, Florida, run by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transportation Authority, owned by the city of Tampa, and managed by Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc.
In July, the streetcar recorded more than 90,000 riders in July of this year. “Overall, FY22 YTD #streetcar ridership is 917,046 trips,” wrote officials in a tweet celebrating the strong July performance. “We only need 83k more rides with two months left for all-time record ridership of ONE MILLION on the year!”
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Riders enjoy easy and quick access from the heart of downtown Tampa to Channelside, and Ybor City. An expansion of the streetcar network is also in the works to area such as Hyde Park. The streetcar is also active, and interactive with the local community. Streetcar Live is one of the best ways to enjoy a ride and some entertainment at the same time.
The Tampa Streetcar Live is a recurring live music event that takes place on the city’s historic streetcars. This series took a 2 year hiatus due to the pandemic. The wait for its return ended back in May. Gasparilla Music Fest is a partner in the ongoing series. With a capacity of just 74, the historic Streetcar provides an intimate and unique musical experience unmatched in Tampa Bay. Whale Feral is a southern jam band combining intricate compositions and raw improvisation to produce a truly unique sound.
Its first 2.4-mile-long segment opened for service in 2002 while a 0.3-mile-long extension opened for service in December 2010. Using FDOT funding, the City is undertaking its InVision: Tampa Streetcar Project, consisting of feasibility and concept development for expansion and modernization of the current system. In October 2018 HART introduced three years of free fares and expanded service also made possible through an FDOT grant, which provides the groundwork for the system to grow in advance of the City’s expansion and modernization plans.
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