Our Work
Building momentum through advocacy, education, and community organizing
What We Do
To accomplish our mission of improving and expanding public transit in Tampa Bay, we are guided by our theory of change, which involves increasing HART’s dedicated funding source(s), dedicating more funds towards HART generally including smaller endowments and pilot projects, and uniting through this organization to advocate and hold leaders accountable for improvements.
Spread the Word
Transit updates and opportunities to make a difference
Organize & Advocate
For funds to expand and improve transit service
Push for Rail
Regional rail and streetcar extensions
Champion Accessibility
Walkability, bike safety, and ADA access
Advocate Sustainably
Climate-resilient transportation options
Research & Educate
Transit and urban planning education community-wide
Fare Free Routes
Free routes are a strategy to get folks on the bus and moving efficiently around our region. It is also a relatively small cost to the public that has a high return in the form of saving workers and people who ride money, making transportation more affordable. Cities like New York City have used and are pursuing fare-free routes systemwide. In Tampa, we asked for Route 1 to be fare free for one year to demonstrate the latent demand and positive effects of transit.
Latest Update:
The pilot program has been a HUGE success! The route’s average ridership has doubled each month (from about 3,000 to over 5,000 per day), and on-time performance has increased by an average 10% per month.
HART Route 1
Route 1 is slated to be Tampa’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route, a fixed-guideway option that would have its own dedicated lane and travel from USF to Downtown. The State of Florida made a rule in 2023 that to get a dedicated lane, the route needs 6,000 riders per day. TNTB has advocated to make Route 1 fare free, and to increase the frequency, both to improve the line generally and to improve our odds of seeing BRT come to fruition.
Latest Update:
In August 2024, the City of Tampa funded Route 1 to be fare free and to increase weekday frequency to 15 minutes for all of 2025. In August 2025, the City of Tampa funded Route 1 to increase week night and weekend frequency for all of 2026 (but the fare free program was not funded for a second year).
Increasing HART’s Dedicated Funds
Studies show that HART is deeply underfunded. HART is funded by a half-mil property tax, which has been the same amount since 1979. We advocate to increase that millage rate to 1-mil (it’s .75-mil in Pinellas County), and we also advocate for sales taxes and other possible dedicated funding sources.
Latest Update:
First, each participating HART jurisdiction (Temple Terrace, City of Tampa, and Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners) must vote yes, then the BOCC must put it on the ballot for all Hillsborough County to vote on in 2026!
Save the Cross Bay Ferry
In 2025, the HART Board decided to transfer a $5 million grant to PSTA so that they can fully operate a year-round ferry service. The ferry serves both tourists and commuters from Downtown Tampa to Downtown St. Pete, taking hundreds of cars off the road each year.
Latest Update:
PSTA is gearing up to have 2 ships and increased frequency for a year-round service in 2026!
Group Rides
Transit Now hosts educational “how to ride” presentations and group public transit rides that are fun and exciting! These group rides provide a structured, guided opportunity to give public transit a try!
Email transitnowtb@gmail.com to schedule a presentation or ride for your neighborhood association, company staff, students or class, friend group, church, or other group!
Who Rides the Bus in Hillsborough County?
– RIDER STORIES | COMING SOON –
The bus is for everyone, from those who physically cannot move about the city any other way due to a disability, to professionals who’d rather use their commute time writing emails than staring at the road.
Hear what current riders have to say about what the bus means to them, how they use it, and what it would mean to their lives if service either got worse, or improved! Some stories also feature people who were past riders, or those who desire to be future riders throughout Hillsborough County and the Tampa Bay area.
