The Global Transit Guidebook by HARTride 2012
Public Transit told from a unique perspective
Pirates, & Beads, & Transit…oh my!
Post was updated on 01/24/2020
Yep, it’s that time again, for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival! The Parade of the Pirates brings in hundreds of revelers each year, & along with that…tons and tons of roadway closures. So here’s what you need to know if you plan on attending the parade on Saturday, January 25, starting at 2:00pm.
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Park for free, Ride for free…
Baseball Spring Training is back, which means heading out to the stadium, fighting traffic, battling to find a good parking spot, & maybe having to pay to get into the lot in the process.
It doesn’t have to be that way if you’re heading to Dunedin Stadium to watch the Toronto Blue Jays though. The city of Dunedin, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), & the Clearwater Jolley Trolley, have teamed up to provide a free Park-N-Ride lot in downtown Dunedin, along with free Jolley Trolley service to and from the stadium. The promotion begins Saturday, February 23, 2019 & runs until Friday, March 22, 2019.
For further information, please select from one of the following links. Please be advised that game dates & times are subject to change.
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Legalese | Disclosures
Pirates, & Beads, & Transit…oh my!
Post was updated on 01/26/2019.
A brief update was made to include the Cross-Bay Ferry schedule.
Yep, it’s that time again, for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival! The Parade of the Pirates brings in hundreds of revelers each year, and along with that…tons and tons of roadway closures. So here’s what you need to know if you plan on attending the parade on Saturday, January 26, starting at 2:00pm.
Read morePost was updated on 5/10/18 at approx. 8:45pm ET
A link to HART’s flyer has been added to the post.
It’s that time again…time for the Tampa Bay Air Fest and all of the awesomeness that it brings! This year’s event will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2018 and Sunday, May 13, 2018.
As with previous events, traffic congestion throughout South Tampa will be very heavy, so you will want to leave early and be prepared to brave the crowds…both at the event and while on the road. If you want to avoid the traffic and parking hassles, I strongly encourage you to use transit to get to and from the event. As with many previous events, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) is partnering with MacDill Air Force Base to provide bus transportation. However, with last year’s Mission MAX system restructuring taking place – Route 4 no longer exists, so HART is instead modifying Route 360LX to operate more frequently during AirFest Weekend.
Scene from one of the previous AirFests. Credit: HARTride 2012
Gates will open at 8:00am, but as in years past, you can expect to see cars lining up as early as 7:00am or earlier. Why sit in traffic and worry about if you’ll even get a parking space when you can leave the driving to HART?
While the normal Route 360LX operates hourly – with Brandon to South Tampa service operating Monday through Saturday & South Tampa only service on Sundays, the modified service will operate every 15 minutes between the Britton Plaza Shopping Center and MacDill via Downtown Tampa’s Marion Transit Center, with 30 minute service between Britton Plaza and Downtown Tampa. This will provide a convenient and frequent one-seat ride to and from the festivities. Service east of Downtown will operate on an hourly basis, following the normal Saturday schedule. All normal Route 360LX stops north of Britton Plaza will be served, while the stops along Dale Mabry Hwy south of Britton will not. Buses will instead detour via Euclid Ave, MacDill Ave, Shelton Ave, and Bayshore Blvd – entering the Bayshore Gate. Buses will then drop off passengers at a loading/unloading area near Hangar 1.
Please note that the map above is based on the current Route 360LX routing, along with detours enacted during past events. Routing is subject to change due to traffic and security limitations. Map was created by HARTride 2012.
Saturday services between Westfield Brandon and the Marion Transit Center in Downtown Tampa will mirror the normal Saturday schedule with hourly departures. The Downtown to Britton Plaza leg will operate based off of the normal Saturday schedule, but will have the additional runs added in to create a 30-minute headway between the two stops. Because of traffic limitations, HART will do its best to maintain 15-minute frequency south of Britton Plaza and will have extra buses staged for use if needed.
Sunday services will be similar to that of Saturday, but with no service between South Tampa and Brandon outside of event shuttle hours. Event shuttle service will commence at 8:00am on both days, with buses traveling inbound (from Brandon to South Tampa) until roughly 4:00pm. After 4:00pm, service in South Tampa will shift to an outbound mode – meaning that buses will begin travelling northbound/eastbound only towards Downtown and Brandon (with limited southbound trips). Trips may alternate amongst the two destinations and guests should carefully examine the LED signs on the bus to make sure they’re boarding the correct bus to their final destination. The outbound pattern will continue from South Tampa until about 6:00pm. After that time, the additional trips will begin winding down and normal evening services will commence.
View the full schedule from HART
All other HART routes (17, 30, 36, & 60LX included) will operate their normal weekend schedules.
Normal HART fares apply for the Route 360LX shuttle, as well as all other HART bus routes. Because of the many constraints involved with AirFest; if you’re considering hopping on the bus, you should purchase your HARTride Farecard or Flamingo App/Card fare in advance. If you choose to pay for your fare on board the bus, you will be asked to pay with cash (exact change please), as there won’t be enough 1-Day Farecards available for issuance on board the bus.
For those wishing to park their cars in order to catch a HART bus to AirFest, you will need to keep in mind that regular parking fees apply to all Downtown Tampa parking garages and lots that typically charge a fee. Please leave metered street-side parking spaces open and available for those who need to do business in Downtown, and do not park in permit-only lots – as your vehicle will be subjected to towing. Please also do not park your vehicle along residential streets – as once again, your vehicle will be subjected to towing. Residential streets need to be as open as possible to allow First Responders to safely pass through and to allow local residents and their guests room to park.
If you’re parking your vehicle at Britton Plaza or Westfield Brandon Mall, please keep in mind that these are NOT official HART Park-N-Ride lots and are owned by their respective private mall/shopping center owners. While arrangements are in place for AirFest, you should return to your vehicle no later that 9:00pm to prevent your vehicle from being towed. As businesses begin closing down for the night at 9:00pm, any vehicles remaining in either parking lot (aside from employees who are wrapping up their work at the on-site businesses) will be subjected to towing.
Many will be enticed to use Uber or Lyft to get from A to B due to the traffic constraints in South Tampa, and while such ride share services can be convenient, they can also get very expensive if one does not know for sure the full extent of the circumstances that AirFest brings to South Tampa traffic. Because of security limitations, all vehicles entering the base to attend AirFest (except HART buses of course) will be required to park in the assigned spaces along the tarmac. Once parked, you will not be able to just whisk your vehicle out of the base to drop someone off – the vehicle will have to stay parked for a few hours. Therefore, you should consider being dropped off either at a location near the intersection of Dale Mabry Hwy and Interbay Blvd and walk to the base from there, or being dropped off at Britton Plaza, Marion Transit Center, or Westfield Brandon to catch a HART bus.
Because MacDill AFB is an active military installation, certain items are prohibited and all guests are subject to airport-style security screening at the event entrance. A full list of prohibited items is available on the AirFest website.
For further information regarding AirFest, please visit the AirFest website. For further information regarding HART bus services, please visit the HART website.
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Post was last updated on: 1/23/18.
Route detour info has been updated.
Pirates, and Beads, and Transit…oh my!
Yep, it’s that time again, for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival! The Parade of the Pirates brings in hundreds of revelers each year, and along with that…tons and tons of roadway closures. So here’s what you need to know if you plan on attending the parade on Saturday, January 27, starting at 2:00pm.
On Friday, January 26, the day before the parade, many area roadways will begin to shut down. A complete list of closures has been provided through local media outlets (for this post, I’ve used the News Channel 8 article) and I strongly suggest that you go through this list so that you’re not caught in unnecessary traffic congestion. Because of the parade route and disbursement of the floats at the end of the parade, the Platt, Brorein, and Kennedy bridges will all be closed. That means your only points of egress into downtown Tampa will be the Cass St bridge, the Selmon Expressway, and I-275. If you don’t need to be in downtown Tampa, please do not enter the area! I cannot stress this enough.
For what may be a once-in-a-lifetime event, the usual Gasparilla festivities are clashing together with the National Hockey League’s All-Star game, which is happening at Amalie Arena. This means that traffic and parking will face additional constraints. Here’s a listing of events (from WFTS) that surround the game during the weekend.
For those traveling to Davis Island and Tampa General Hospital, access will be maintained to the island, but the on/off-ramps to/from Bayshore will all be closed. Please be sure to plan ahead for this, as shuttle service may not be available during the parade.
If you plan to park in one of the parking garages in either Downtown Tampa, Channelside, Hyde Park, or Ybor City, please make sure you remember where you parked. Also, keep in mind that many streets will be closed throughout the area. Please also be sure to bring cash, because some lots may only accept cash as payment. Additionally, please be aware that the City of Tampa prohibits parking on some streets.
Select HART bus routes and the TECOline Streetcar Line will operate on a modified schedule on Saturday, and some bus routes will be detoured due to road closures. I’ll go through a brief rundown of what to expect if you’re using transit to get to and from the parade. For detailed information – including routes that serve the Downtown Tampa area – please visit the HART website, as information can change between now and the day of the parade.
Before boarding the bus or streetcar, please have your fare ready. Regular fares will apply on all HART fixed routes and the TECOline Streetcar. The only exception is the In-Towner Trolley, which is fare free. For even easier convenience, download the Flamingo Fares App on your smartphone and purchase your fare there!
Routes 1, 7, 8, 19, 30, & 360LX will be detoured! Please plan your trip accordingly! Below is a listing of how buses will be detoured, along with respective route maps. OneBusAway WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THE ROUTES AFFECTED, SO PLEASE REFER TO POSTED SCHEDULES FOR DEPARTURE TIMES!!!
For those needing to see the above graphics in a larger format, please view the PDF file from the HART website.
And remember, please party responsibly. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t text and drive.
Please be sure to bookmark my website: globaltransitguidebook.com | Contact Me.
You can also find me on Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | YouTube
Pirates, and Beads, and Transit…oh my!
Yep, it’s that time again, for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival! The Parade of the Pirates brings in hundreds of revelers each year, and along with that…tons and tons of roadway closures. So here’s what you need to know if you plan on attending the parade on Saturday, January 28, starting at 2:00pm.
On Friday, January 27, the day before the parade (that is TOMORROW as of the publishing of this post), many area roadways will begin to shut down. A complete list of closures has been provided through local media outlets (for this post, I’ve used the News Channel 8 article) and I strongly suggest that you go through this list so that you’re not caught in unnecessary traffic congestion. Because of the parade route and disbursement of the floats at the end of the parade, the Platt, Brorein, and Kennedy bridges will all be closed. That means your only points of egress into downtown Tampa will be the Cass St bridge, the Selmon Expressway, and I-275. If you don’t need to be in downtown Tampa, please do not enter the area! I cannot stress this enough.
For those traveling to Davis Island and Tampa General Hospital, access will be maintained to the island, but the on/off-ramps to/from Bayshore will all be closed. Please be sure to plan ahead for this, as shuttle service may not be available during the parade.
If you plan to park in one of the parking garages in either Downtown Tampa, Channelside, Hyde Park, or Ybor City, please make sure you remember where you parked. Also, keep in mind that many streets will be closed throughout the area. Please also be sure to bring cash, because some lots may only accept cash as payment. Additionally, please be aware that the City of Tampa prohibits parking on some streets.
Select HART bus routes and the TECOline Streetcar Line will operate on a modified schedule on Saturday, and some bus routes will be detoured due to road closures. I’ll go through a brief rundown of what to expect if you’re using transit to get to and from the parade. For detailed information – including routes that serve the Downtown Tampa area – please visit the HART website, as information can change between now and the day of the parade.
Routes 7, 8, 14, 19, & 30 will be detoured! Please plan your trip accordingly! Below is a listing of how buses will be detoured, along with respective route maps. OneBusAway WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THE ROUTES AFFECTED, SO PLEASE REFER TO POSTED SCHEDULES FOR DEPARTURE TIMES!!!
For those hoping to hitch a ride on the ferry this Saturday, sorry folks! This is due to US Coast Guard regulations in place during the parade.
And remember, please party responsibly. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t text and drive.
Please be sure to bookmark my website: globaltransitguidebook.com | Contact Me.
You can also find me on Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | YouTube
(Note: All links above have been updated to reflect the new website)
Tomorrow, August 30, 2016 is Primary Election Day, and many transit agencies are pitching in to make sure that you can get to the polls!
In the Tampa Bay Area; HART, PSTA, SCAT, and PCPT are allowing respective county residents with a valid voter ID card to hop on board the bus for FREE. Restrictions do apply, so please be sure to contact your respective transit agency for details.
It’s that time again…time for the Tampa Bay Air Fest and all of the awesomeness that it brings! This year’s event will be held on Saturday, March 19, 2016 and Sunday, March 20, 2016.
As with previous events, traffic congestion throughout South Tampa will be very heavy, so you will want to leave early and be prepared to brave the crowds…both at the event and while on the road. If you want to avoid the traffic and parking hassles, I strongly encourage you to use transit to get to and from the event. As with many previous events, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) is partnering with MacDill Air Force Base to provide bus transportation via a modified Route 4. Route 4 normally operates hourly on weekdays only, but will be operating roughly every 15 minutes on both days.
Gates will open at 8:00am, but as in years past, you can expect to see cars lining up as early as 7:00am or earlier. Why sit in traffic and worry about if you’ll even get a parking space when you can leave the driving to HART?
For Air Fest 2014, I made a map showing the routing of all three above routes. Please keep in mind that the routing of Route 4 could change as it gets closer to the event. Please review HART’s blog post for any additional info.
For those of you who wish to drive to Air Fest (or are coming in from another county), there will be something different this year. The Dale Mabry, MacDill Ave, and Tanker Way (Manhattan/Interbay) Gates will all open for inbound traffic to help alleviate the heavy congestion that has plagued South Tampa streets in years past. The Bayshore Blvd gate, as in past years, will only be open to military personnel with a valid ID. There is no cost for parking at the event.
With that said, here’s the main arterial highways that will get you to the AirFest.
Although bicycles, roller blades, etc. are acceptable modes of transport to the base, they are not allowed on the flight line (the zone within the gated event area). Bike racks will be provided near the event gates so that you can lock up your bike securely. Those using roller blades, etc. should have a backpack to stow them away in (large tote bags are not allowed at the event).
Any further questions or concerns regarding the AirFest should be directed to MacDill AFB officials. Questions or concerns about transit services should be directed to HART Customer Service. HART can be contacted at 813-254-4278.
Official Air Fest Webpage | Official MacDill AFB Facebook Page.
Enjoy the Air Fest weekend!
HARTride 2012
Pirates, and Beads, and Transit…oh my!
Yep, it’s that time again, for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival! The Parade of the Pirates brings in hundreds of revelers each year, and along with that…tons and tons of roadway closures. So here’s what you need to know if you plan on attending the parade on Saturday, January 30, starting at 2:00pm.
On Friday, January 29, the day before the parade (that is TODAY as of the publishing of this post), many area roadways will begin to shut down. A complete list of closures has been provided through local media outlets (for this post, I’ve used the ABC Action News article) and I strongly suggest that you go through this list so that you’re not caught in unnecessary traffic congestion. Because of the parade route and disbursement of the floats at the end of the parade, the Platt, Brorein, and Kennedy bridges will all be closed. That means your only points of egress into downtown Tampa will be the Cass St bridge, the Selmon Expressway, and I-275. If you don’t need to be in downtown Tampa, please do not enter the area! I cannot stress this enough.
For those traveling to Davis Island and Tampa General Hospital, access will be maintained to the island, but the on/off-ramps to/from Bayshore will all be closed. Please be sure to plan ahead for this, as shuttle service may not be available during the parade.
If you plan to park in one of the parking garages in either Downtown Tampa, Channelside, Hyde Park, or Ybor City, please make sure you remember where you parked. Also, keep in mind that many streets will be closed throughout the area. Please also be sure to bring cash, because some lots may only accept cash as payment. Additionally, please be aware that the City of Tampa prohibits parking on some streets.
Select HART bus routes and the TECOline Streetcar Line will operate on a modified schedule on Saturday, and some bus routes will be detoured due to road closures. I’ll go through a brief rundown of what to expect if you’re using transit to get to and from the parade. For detailed information – including routes that serve the Downtown Tampa area – please visit the HART website, as information can change between now and the day of the parade.
Routes 7, 8, 14, 19, & 30 will be detoured! Please plan your trip accordingly! Below is a listing of how buses will be detoured, along with respective route maps. OneBusAway WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THE ROUTES AFFECTED, SO PLEASE REFER TO POSTED SCHEDULES FOR DEPARTURE TIMES!!!
And remember, please party responsibly. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t text and drive.
Pirates, and Beads, and Transit…oh my!
Yep, it’s that time again, for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival! The Parade of the Pirates brings in hundreds of revelers each year, and along with that…tons and tons of roadway closures. So here’s what you need to know if you plan on attending the parade on Saturday, January 31, starting at 2:00pm.
On Friday, January 30, the day before the parade, many area roadways will begin to shut down. Although exact times haven’t been announced, this post will be updated as soon as they are. Last year, Bayshore Blvd began to close down at 10:00pm the night before the parade. Because of the parade route and disbursement of the floats at the end of the parade, the Platt, Brorein, and Kennedy bridges will all be closed. That means your only points of egress into downtown Tampa will be the Cass St bridge, the Selmon Expressway, and I-275. If you don’t need to be in downtown Tampa, please do not enter the area! I cannot stress this enough.
For those traveling to Davis Island and Tampa General Hospital, access will be maintained to the island, but the on/off-ramps to/from Bayshore will all be closed. Please be sure to plan ahead for this, as shuttle service may not be available during the parade.
If you plan to park in one of the parking garages in either downtown Tampa, Channelside, Hyde Park, or Ybor City, please make sure you remember where you park. Also, keep in mind that many streets will be closed throughout the area. Please be sure to bring cash, because some lots may only accept cash as payment. Also, please be aware that the City of Tampa prohibits parking on some streets.
Select HART bus routes and the TECOline Streetcar Line will operate on a modified schedule on Saturday, and some bus routes will be detoured due to road closures. I’ll go through a brief rundown of what to expect if you’re using transit to get to and from the parade. For detailed information, please visit the HART website, as information can change between now and the day of the parade. Also, HART may be posting detailed maps of detoured bus routes as it gets closer to the parade.
Routes 7, 8, 14, 19, & 30 will be detoured! Please plan your trip accordingly! Below is a listing of how buses were detoured last year. This may be different this year, so please stay tuned for further updates.
See a detailed map with information on detoured bus routes, feeder bus service to the streetcar, and which streetcar stations will be open/closed. You can also read HART’s blog for information.
And remember, please party responsibly. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t text and drive.
