Tag: service changes

HART, JTA, & LYNX Spring Service Changes

HART, JTA, & LYNX Spring Service Changes

hartride2012tampa

It’s that time again…

…time for several transit agencies to enact service changes.

On Sunday, March 24, 2019, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit will be enacting several routing &/or scheduling changes to improve efficiency. The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) will do the same on Monday, April 1, 2019, followed by the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (d.b.a. LYNX) on Sunday, April 28, 2019.

Service changes are summarized below by transit agency:

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit
Tampa, FL

What’s Changing?

  • Route 7: Running time changes on weekdays to reflect travel patterns.
  • Route 14: One-way looping at the northern end of the line will cease. Buses will travel bi-directionally from the Yukon Transfer Center to Florida Ave, Linebaugh Ave, and then down Armenia Ave.
  • Route 31: Service along Duncan Rd will cease. Buses will travel along US 301 between Duncan and Bloomingdale Ave, then use Bloomingdale between US 301 & Providence Rd. Southbound running times in SouthShore will also be adjusted.
  • Routes 37 & 38: Running time changes during weekday PM rush to reflect travel patterns.
  • Route 400 – MetroRapid North-South: Minor routing change in Downtown Tampa. Northbound buses will use Florida Ave instead of Morgan St to approach the Marion Transit Center. There will be no stops added. Customers can use Routes 1 or 19 along Florida Ave to get to the MTC.

Where can I get more information?

On the HART website, or by calling (813)-254-4278.

Jacksonville Transportation Authority
Jacksonville, FL

What’s Changing?

  • Route 13: Running time changes.
  • Route 15: Running time changes.
  • Route 21: Running time changes.
  • Route 25: Running time changes.
  • Route 32: Southern terminus will shift to Rosa Parks Transit Station in Downtown Jacksonville. Direct service to St. Vincent’s Memorial Hospital in Riverside will cease.
  • Route 33: Running time changes. Saturday frequency will change from 1 hour/20 minutes to 1 hour/30 minutes. Routes 32 & 33 will become interlined.
  • Route 53: Running time changes.
  • Route 84: Running time changes.
  • First Coast Flyer Lines (102/Green, 107/Blue, 109/Red): Running time changes.

Where can I get more information?

On the JTA website, or by calling (904) 630-3100.

Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX)
Orlando, FL

What’s Changing?

  • Route 15: Minor schedule adjustments.
  • LYMMO Services (Routes 60, 61, 62, & 63): Route 61 will have a new stop at Amelia St @ Terry Ave. All four LYMMO routes will see frequency & service span changes.
  • Route 155: Buses will travel between Greenwald Way & Centerview Blvd via Osceola Pkwy.
  • Routes 301 & 304: Minor schedule adjustments.
  • Route 407 (FastLink): During the morning peak, trips to Lake Nona will first serve the VA Medical Center. Morning peak inbound trips to Kissimmee will serve Nemours Children’s Hospital and the USTA National Campus. Midday and afternoon peak service will remain unchanged, except for minor schedule adjustments.
  • Route 441 (FastLink): Northbound & Southbound trips will begin serving the bus stop on S. Orange Blossom Trl & Centerview Blvd.
  • Flex (NeighborLink) Route 613: Zone will be extended northward to include the Park Promenade Plaza.

Where can I get more information?

On the LYNX website, or by calling (407)-841-5969.

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Winter 2019 Service Changes

Winter 2019 Service Changes

hartride2012tampa

It’s that time again…

It’s that time again, time to roll out the next batch of transit system service changes. Effective dates and scope of changes will vary greatly by transit agency. For this post, I’m going to divide each of the changes by transit agency and arrange by effective date.

Read more →
HART December, 2018 Service Changes

HART December, 2018 Service Changes

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HART Routes 45, 60LX, 360LX, & the TECOline Streetcar

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) will be enacting a few route changes on Sunday, December 2, 2018. Changes include routing/scheduling changes to Routes 45, 60LX, & 360LX, as well as minor scheduling changes for the TECOline Streetcar Line.

Note: These changes were already in the works prior to the passage of the All For Transportation referendum & would have been enacted regardless of the election results on November 6, 2018.

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Fall 2018 Service Changes

Fall 2018 Service Changes

hartride2012tampa

It’s that time again…

It’s that time again, time to roll out the next batch of transit system service changes. Effective dates and scope of changes will vary greatly by transit agency. For this post, I’m going to divide each of the changes by transit agency and arrange by effective date.

Read more →
Summer Service Changes – PSTA, HART, LYNX, SunRail, Votran

Summer Service Changes – PSTA, HART, LYNX, SunRail, Votran

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This post was last updated on 06/19/2018
More information has been released regarding the upcoming service changes for LYNX, SunRail, & Votran

It’s that time again…service changes, service changes, service changes!

In this post, I will outline some of the key changes that are coming to the following transit agencies: Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART), Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (d.b.a. LYNX), SunRail Commuter Rail, & Volusia County Transit (Votran).

Please note that with some of the agencies, further detailed information may not be available immediately as of this posting. Updates will be made when that information becomes available. This post is meant to present a general level overview of some of the key changes that will be enacted during the course of the next two months.

Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA)

PSTA is enacting several map/scheduling/time point changes on Sunday, June 17, 2018, which can be viewed on the PSTA website. The most significant changes however will take place the following day, Monday, June 18, 2018 – when Routes 100X & 300X will be officially re-launched as extended versions of their current selves. This will allow both routes to each serve a key area in the Tampa Bay region that wasn’t previously served by a PSTA express bus route.

  • Route 100X – St. Petersburg/Gateway/Tampa Express: Thanks to additional Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Urban Corridor Project funding, the 100X will be extended southward to serve Downtown St. Petersburg via Interstate 275. All existing points (Gateway Mall, Britton Plaza in South Tampa, and Downtown Tampa) will continue to be served as they are today, with the limited trips to the Fidelity National (FIS) complex on Roosevelt Blvd & 16th Ct N being kept. The overall span of service within the existing route will largely remain the same, but adjustments to the schedule have been made to account for the Downtown St. Petersburg leg, thus creating an expansion to the overall span of service when the extension is accounted for.
    • The redesigned Route 100X will continue to operate Monday through Friday only, but will have a peak-hour frequency of roughly every 45 to 50 minutes, instead of the current 30 to 60 minute frequency. The midday trips have also been re-timed.
    • Buses will originate in Downtown St. Pete, at The Pier District (2nd Ave N, just east of the Sundial Shoppes where the Central Ave Trolley terminates), with the first trip of the morning departing at 4:42am.
    • From The Pier District, buses will circulate through the downtown area – serving all designated bus stops along the way – before entering the interstate system via I-375. Buses will then exit I-375 and enter I-275 north, then exiting at 54th Ave N.
    • From 54th Ave N, southbound/westbound buses travel along MLK St N while northbound/eastbound buses use 4th St N to enter/exit Gateway Mall.
    • From Gateway Mall eastward, the existing routing is used. The last trip from downtown St. Pete will be at 5:42pm.
  • Route 300X – Gateway/TPA Airport/Tampa Express (re-branded as the “Airport Express”): With the opening of the bus transfer hub at Tampa International Airport’s Rental Car Center, PSTA began formulating plans to alter Route 300X service while longer term plans for a direct express route from Clearwater Beach to Tampa continue to materialize. FDOT Urban Corridor funding will allow for the 300X to serve the TPA Airport Bus Hub on most trips while maintaining hourly peak service & the limited midday trips. Two trips (one AM eastbound & one PM westbound) will be kept as direct trips between the Ulmerton Rd Park-N-Ride Lot & Downtown Tampa via I-275. The overall span of service will remain largely the same – with a slightly earlier start time & somewhat later end time.
    • The redesigned Route 300X will continue to operate Monday through Friday only, with peak frequency changing to operate hourly versus the existing schedule. The midday trips have also been re-timed.
    • Buses will continue to originate at the Ulmerton Rd Park-N-Ride Lot on Ulmerton Rd, just east of Starkey Rd. The only major routing change is that most trips will now serve the TPA Airport Bus Hub, where customers from Pinellas can easily transfer to HART Routes 30, 32, 35, 60LX, & 275LX. Future plans also include Pasco Transit launching its own express route from central Pasco County to the bus hub.
    • The first eastbound trip of the morning will be at 6:10am, with the last trip being 6:20pm.
    • Only the 7:00AM Eastbound trip from the Ulmerton Rd Park-N-Ride Lot & the 4:55PM Westbound trip from HART’s Marion Transit Center will skip the airport. These trips will travel between Downtown Tampa and the Gateway area directly. These trips are being retained as direct trips to/from Downtown Tampa due to concerns from customers who use the existing 300X during the height of rush hour to get to/from work.
  • Other Changes: Minor map/scheduling/time point changes will be made to Routes 5, 7, 14, 15, 16, 20, 68, & the Dunedin/Palm Harbor Flex Connector (Route 813).

Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART)

HART will be enacting similar changes to some of its bus routes on Sunday, July 1, 2018, which can be viewed on the HART website (Select the Routes drop-down menu and scroll to the “HART Service Changes – Effective 71/18” section to view maps and schedules). The most significant changes will include the replacement of Route 51LX with Route 275LX, the addition of Route 48 – which restores service to key areas of northeastern Hillsborough that was lost when Route 57 was eliminated in October, 2017, and the elimination of the Downtown Tampa In-Towner Trolley Services due to ultra-low ridership.

  • Route 14 – Armenia Ave: Weekday service will be completely re-timed to reflect traffic patterns during the day. Buses will now depart roughly every 30 to 35 minutes. Weekend frequency will remain unchanged.
  • Route 48 – Temple Terrace: One of the biggest complaints by far that I’ve seen since the Mission MAX system restructuring was implemented back in October of 2017 was the elimination of Route 57 through Temple Terrace. The 57 was eliminated due to lower ridership & high upkeep costs, but many residents complained that they were left with no avenue to get to work or other destinations in Hillsborough without the route in place. While these residents clamored for HART to revive the 57, the route in its previous form was not going to return due to certain areas having ultra-low ridership levels. However, talks for a replacement service to serve key areas where residents were left with no service begin gaining traction during the late winter of 2017, when Hillsborough County officials began discussing the possibility of additional funding for the transit system. While a recurring funding arrangement failed to be reached, a one-time infusion was agreed upon to provide additional funds for service maintenance and expansion through FY 2018.
    • The routing for the 48 will be similar to how the 57 operated, with buses originating at the NetPark Transfer Center on 56th St & Harney Rd. Buses will leave the transfer center going south on 56th to Harney Rd, then 78th St, Temple Terrace Hwy, Davis Rd, Morris Bridge Rd, and then Fowler Ave. The previous segment of the 57 along 56th St and Fletcher Ave will not be served by the 48 due to the 6 already serving those areas. 42nd St & Skipper Rd just north of the USF Tampa campus will also not be served by the 48. Buses will instead continue down Fowler Ave to 30th St, where they will connect to the University Area Transit Center.
    • Service will run hourly, with weekday service starting at 5:30AM & running through 9:30PM. Weekend service will pretty much mirror the weekday schedule.
  • Routes 51LX/275LX: Due to the continuing decline in ridership of Route 51LX, which runs from Pasco County to Downtown Tampa via Temple Terrace, HART will be eliminating the route entirely & replacing East Pasco to Downtown Tampa Limited Express service with Route 275LX. The 275LX will operate all week long instead of just during weekday peak hours with hourly frequency, plus service to Tampa International Airport. The agency is re-allocating its funds through the FDOT Urban Corridor Project to fund the 275LX service.
    • With the 275LX, buses will originate at the Wiregrass Park-N-Ride Lot in Wesley Chapel, then travel down Bruce B. Downs Blvd to the Lowe’s Park-N-Ride Lot near I-75 in Tampa Palms. From there, buses will make a stop at the University Area Transit Center via Bruce B. Downs Blvd, then to Downtown Tampa & the Marion Transit Center via Fowler Ave & I-275. The segment along Bruce B. Downs Blvd & Fowler Ave will essentially restore basic service to areas along these corridors that were lost when Route 45 was re-aligned & Route 57 was eliminated back in October, 2017.
    • From the Marion Transit Center, buses will re-enter I-275 and terminate at the Tampa International Airport Bus Hub at the Rental Car Center, with departures synchronizing with Route 60LX so that customers traveling between the airport & downtown can enjoy a roughly 30 minute headway. Service on the 275LX itself will be hourly, with service starting up at approximately 5:10AM & running through about 10:00PM. Two trips will originate at the Marion Transit Center going to Tampa International Airport & the other two will originate at the University Area Transit Center going to Wiregrass. In the evening, trips will stagger to end at either transit center between 9:50PM & 11:00PM. Weekend schedules will basically mirror the weekday schedule.
  • In-Towner Services: Due to the continuing decline in ridership, Routes 96 & 97 will be eliminated. Customers wishing to traverse through Downtown Tampa can utilize Routes 1, 8, or 19, with Routes 1 & 19 serving western Downtown & the Riverfront, & Route 8 serving eastern Downtown & the Channelside District. Customers can also use the Downtowner free shuttle service provided by the Tampa-Downtown Partnership. Talks are currently underway as to the possibility of the partnership transferring operation of the shuttle service to HART.
  • HyperLINK Service: Despite the initial success of the HyperLINK ride-share type program, various factors – including whether there would be future commitments to run the service by private sector vendors – have prompted HART to end the service. Service in all zones will wind down on July 31, 2018.
  • Other Changes: Minor map/scheduling/time point changes will be made to Routes 1, 25LX, 31, 42, & 45.

Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (d.b.a. LYNX) & SunRail Commuter Rail

In anticipation of the opening of Phase II of SunRail from Sand Lake Rd in southern Orlando to Poinciana, LYNX is making key changes to the bus network in Osceola County, along with changes to other routes in the overall network to improve system efficiency.

Xpress Route 208, which currently runs from the SunRail Sand Lake Rd Station to the Kissimmee Intermodal Station, will end services on Friday, July 27, 2018. SunRail trains begin operating between the Sand Lake Rd & Poinciana Stations the following Monday, July 30, 2018.

Also in anticipation for the SunRail extension, a new route will be created in Osceola County – Route 155 – which will serve The Loop, Osceola Parkway, Tupperware SunRail Station and Buena Ventura Lakes.

You may view all of the upcoming changes – most of which will become effective on Sunday, July 15, 2018 – on the LYNX website. Further updates will be made when schedules for each individual route become available.

The new SunRail schedule is now available on the SunRail website by selecting the banner on the homepage. A PDF file will then open with the new schedule.

Volusia County Transit (Votran)

Votran has an odd tendency to not post service changes in a very timely manner. However this time, they’ve posted a week ahead regarding the launch of Route 44 in the New Smyrna Beach area. This route will connect the Julia St & Sams Ave transfer point in downtown NSB to the WalMart supercenter & Shoppes at Coronado complexes on the northwest corner of SR 44 & I-95. Buses will then travel eastward to the beachside, to Indian River Village, before heading back to the downtown NSB transfer point. Service begins on Monday, June 25, 2018 and will operate on a flag-stop system until permanent stops are constructed.

Further updates will be made when the new schedule & map are posted.

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HART Network Restructuring – Part 1

HART Network Restructuring – Part 1

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You may have heard during the past few months about Hillsborough Area Regional Transit. I’m not talking about the Premium Transit Feasibility Study or OneBusAway; but rather, I’m referring to the planned network restructuring that the agency is currently planning. The massive changes are a part of the normal Transit Development Plan update that HART, and every transit agency throughout the country, is required to perform periodically. Transit Development Plans are put into place to show the public and other government entities throughout the local, state, and federal levels, as to where transit services are now and where they should be in the future. Many factors are taken into consideration when a transit agency performs a TDP update – including demographical changes, funding levels, and vehicle fleet.

HART is currently conducting a system-wide analysis for the first time since the early 2000s and is seeking public feedback on it. The planned changes are aimed at reducing system inefficiencies while improving core service in the more populated sections of Hillsborough County. The re-evaluation comes at a crucial time – when many in the region are still undecided on where our overall transportation network should head towards, overall transit ridership is dropping across the nation due to economic changes and added transportation and work options, a possible reduction in property taxes in 2019, and an uncertain future over federal transit funding due to vastly different priorities between the previous Obama Administration and the current Trump Administration.

What changes are being made?

Much of the HART bus system as it exists today will be radically different. Many low ridership routes will be eliminated in favor of increasing frequency on higher ridership areas. HART Flex services will be reorganized, as will express bus service. HyperLINK services will ultimately get a boost in service, and overall duplication of stops and routes will be reduced. HART is also looking to serve a couple of areas where demand for transit service is high but aren’t being served yet.

You can view all of the planned changes on the HART Website, but I will highlight a few of the most significant changes.

  • Closure of the West Tampa Transfer Center
  • Elimination of Route 2, being replaced by optimized MetroRapid service that will operate on weekends as well.
  • Reorganization of Routes 7 & 30 (including removing Route 30 from the airport loop. Route 30 would eventually serve the new TPA Airport CONRAC facility).
  • Reorganization of Express services.
  • Expansion/Reorganization of HART Flex services.
  • Expansion of HyperLINK services.
  • Implementation of Uber/Lyft Discount Vouchers for late evening and overnight hours (where it is no longer feasible to run regular buses during the late nights with few riders on board).

How can I voice my concerns & questions?

I will be providing my own insight into these changes in Part 2 of this post. However, I want to help get the word out regarding some upcoming public workshops and hearings so that you’ll be in the know.

Public Workshops

Monday, June 19, 2017 (TODAY!!!)
HCC Southshore Campus
551 24th St NE
Ruskin, FL 33570
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
(10:30 presentation)

Tuesday, June 27, 2017
CDC of Tampa
1907 E. Hillsborough Ave #100
Tampa, FL 33610
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
(6:30 presentation)

Thursday, July 6, 2017
Kate Jackson Community Center
821 S. Rome Ave
Tampa, FL 33606
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
(6:30 presentation)

Monday, July 10, 2017
University Area CDC
14013 North 22nd St
Tampa, FL 33613
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
(6:30 presentation)

Additional Outreach Events

Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Marion Transit Center
1211 N. Marion St
Tampa, FL 33602
6:30 am – 8:30 am and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Wednesday, June 21, 2017
University Area Transit Center
13110 N. 27th St
Tampa, FL 33612
6:30 am – 8:30 am and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Thursday, June 22, 2017
Northwest Transfer Center
9325 W. Waters Ave
Tampa, FL 33615
6:30 am – 8:30 am and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Sunday, June 25, 2017
Tampa Outdoor Market – Al Barnes Jr. Park
2902 N 32nd St
Tampa, FL 33605
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Sunday, June 25, 2017
Multicultural Family Day
Water Works Park
1710 N Highland Ave
Tampa, FL 33602
11:00 am – 7:00 pm

Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Marion Transit Center
1211 N. Marion St
Tampa, FL 33602
6:30 am – 8:30 am and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Wednesday, June 28, 2017
University Area Transit Center
13110 N. 27th St
Tampa, FL 33612
6:30 am – 8:30 am and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Town ‘N Country Public Library
7606 Paula Drive #120
Tampa, FL 33615
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Thursday, June 29, 2017
West Tampa Transfer Center
4201 N Himes Ave
Tampa, FL 33607
6:30 am – 8:30 am and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Thursday, July 6, 2017
Westfield- Brandon Transfer Center
459 Brandon Town Center Mall
Brandon, FL 33511
6:30 am – 8:30 am and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Friday, July 7, 2017
netp@rk Transfer Center
5003 N. 56th St
Tampa, FL 33610
6:30 am – 8:30 am and 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Saturday, July 15, 2017
Hillsborough County Neighborhoods Conference
Sheraton Tampa East
10221 Princess Palm Ave
Tampa, FL 33610
8:00 am – 2:30 pm

Saturday, July 15, 2017
Brandon Mall – Back to School Bash
459 Brandon Town Center Mall
Brandon, FL 33511
10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Formal Public Hearing
Final Opportunity for the public to voice their concerns before the HART Board votes on the changes!!!

Wednesday, July 26, 2017
HART Ybor, 1201 E. 7th Ave
Tampa, FL 33605
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Any questions concerning these community meetings and the public hearing may be directed to HART Service Development, 1201 East 7th Ave, Tampa, FL 33605, or by email at servdev@goHART.org / HARTinfo Line: (813) 254-4278 / TDD: (813) 626-9158

Special Accommodations:
Any person requiring special accommodations to attend or participate, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act,
should contact HART within at least three (3) business days prior to the meeting at (813) 384-6553.

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PSTA October 2, 2016 Service Changes – Part 1

PSTA October 2, 2016 Service Changes – Part 1

hartride2012tampa

psta-october-2016-service-change-banner-1

On Sunday, October 2, 2016; the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) enacted a major revamp of key bus routes with the goal of streamlining service and improving efficiency and reliability throughout the system. These changes include the introduction of four new bus routes and substantial changes to 12 others – including the Jolley Trolley. In this post; I will go into detail regarding each of the changes for southern and a portion of central Pinellas, as well as share some images of the new services that PSTA now operates.

Streamlining South & Central County Service

PSTA has long been known for operating notoriously long bus routes by which it can take as much as two to three hours to traverse Pinellas County. While longer routes tend to provide a convenient, one-seat option for some; the lengthier the bus route, the more chances that reliability issues will arise. In the case of many central Pinellas routes; buses were running well behind schedule due to traffic conditions and/or construction on key corridors – like Ulmerton Rd. When buses fall behind on one segment of the route, the entire route becomes bogged down in delays, and that in-turn inconveniences the customer.

To help remedy this problem, PSTA decided to modify routes so that they can operate more smoothly. These measures included splitting some routes into two or three segments so that better service can be provided and maintained on the busiest portions while maintaining basic (hourly or less frequent) service in areas that don’t see high ridership demand. Other changes included combining segments of two routes that would otherwise be too short to operate on their own (while not being notoriously long either), and moving/eliminating a portion of an existing route and allow another route or service to easily compensate for any service lost.

#15105 travels northbound on Roosevelt Blvd N, towards the 34th St Transfer Center (PSTA Facility).
#15105 travels northbound on Roosevelt Blvd N, towards the 34th St Transfer Center (PSTA Facility).

 route-4Route 4 maintains its frequent 15-minute weekday service during the day – with 30-minute frequency after 6:30pm and all day on Saturdays. Hourly service is maintained on Sundays and Holidays. However, the segment north of Gateway Mall now travels up MLK St N to Roosevelt Blvd, 28th St N, 118th Ave N, and 34th St N – taking over the path of Route 59 to the 34th St Transfer Center (PSTA Facility). The northern (116th Ave N/Goodwill Industries) loops previously served by Route 4, have been shifted over to a new Route 9, which I will describe in a few moments. In addition to the above; the Coquina Key Loop is now a timepoint. This means that buses serving the loop will display “via Coquina” on the head signs.

While I was very concerned about the routing that Route 4 would ultimately take, I have to say that I am very satisfied with how the final routing turned out. Not only will I be able to use the same bus stops that I’ve been using previously to board and de-board Route 59, but I will also enjoy a one-seat ride into the heart of Downtown St. Petersburg via 4th St N. The frequency of the 4 during the weekdays and on Saturdays will also allow me to be more flexible with my work commute schedule, and also make quick runs to the store – particularly Trader Joe’s on 4th St N – without having to drive or wait up to an hour for a connecting bus.

#10109 was the inaugural bus on the new Route 9, which takes over the southernmost portion of Route 59.
#10109 was the inaugural bus on the new Route 9, which takes over the southernmost portion of Route 59 and the northernmost portion of Route 4.

route-9As I mentioned earlier, the 116th Ave N/Goodwill Industries loops that were previously served by Route 4 are now served by the new Route 9. The 9 operates every 30 minutes on weekdays with hourly service on the weekends (though for some reason, the buses do run a bit more oddly on Sundays). Buses serving the loops will do so in the same clockwise fashion that Route 4 previously did on Sundays and Holidays – departing Gateway Mall and serving 116th Ave N first, then the Goodwill Industries facility on Gandy Blvd, before returning to Gateway Mall. From Gateway Mall southward, the 9 takes over the southernmost segment of Route 59 to Downtown St. Pete.

In the early stages of planning and public input, the 9 was to only operate hourly seven days a week This did not pan out well with a lot of customers – as many businesses lie along the MLK St N corridor and they (the customers) felt that it was a disservice to them if bus service went down from 20 to 30 minutes to an hour on weekdays. PSTA eventually revised the proposal to include 30-minute weekday service while maintaining hourly weekend service.

#2709 travels down 94th Ave N on Route 74.
#2709 travels down 94th Ave N on Route 74.

route-74Route 74 through central Pinellas has been split into three separate routes. The 74 is maintained between Seminole City Center (formerly Seminole Mall) and Gateway Mall. The 20 to 30-minute weekday frequency and hourly weekend service are retained. In addition, the 102nd Ave N/16th St N/94th Ave N loop has become permanent.

Splitting the 74 allows the Park Blvd portion to retain its frequent weekday service while opening the door to more frequent Saturday service and better Sunday service down the road should funding allow for it.

#2510 is the lone bus for Route 16's inaugural service.
#2510 is the lone bus for Route 16’s inaugural service.

route-16

The segment south of Gateway Mall is now Route 16, which operates each day with one bus every hour. While I prefer that this route operate with 30 to 45-minute weekday service, it is probably not possible to do so at the moment, given PSTA’s limited resources. I do hope that frequency on the weekdays will be increased later on so that customers aren’t too inconvenienced.

10103-route-65-2016-10-04-captioned-and-watermarked

route-65The segment west of Seminole City Center is now Route 65, which also takes over the southernmost segment of Route 66 – the latter I will describe in a later post. Route 65 operates each day on an hourly schedule between Seminole City Center and the Park St Terminal in Downtown Clearwater. Buses traveling on the 65 will not enter the Indian Rocks Shopping Center at the northwest corner of Ulmerton Rd and Indian Rocks Rd. Street-side transfers can be made to Routes 59 and 61 from the bus stops along Indian Rocks Rd and Ulmerton Rd. Route 61 buses will still enter the shopping center’s parking lot.

2610-route-19-2016-10-04-captioned-and-watermarked

route-19Route 19 was first established in 1990 as a one-seat option for customers traveling the entire Pinellas County portion of US Hwy 19. While the service has been very popular and ridership very strong, increased traffic congestion along the highway over the years has created longer delays – especially in northern Pinellas. PSTA decided that splitting the 19 into two routes would be best to maintain as much existing service as possible while improving the overall reliability and efficiency of the system.

Route 19 was split at the Largo Commons Walmart – which the bus platform on the property’s east end serves as the Largo Transit Center. The segment north of the transfer center retains the Route 19 designation, while the segment south of there became the new Route 34 (34 was chosen due to the southern portion of the route being on 34th St N). Route 19’s overall frequency was reduced to every 35 minutes Monday through Saturday to maintain basic service along the northern US 19 corridor while still being frequent enough to get customers to major employment centers such as Westfield Countryside. Also, buses no longer enter the mall’s parking lots – but remain on Countryside Dr and SR 580. The Westfield Countryside timepoint has thus shifted to the eastbound-only platform on SR 580 at Summerdale Dr.

#13103 on the new Route 34.
#13103 on the new Route 34.

route-34Route 34 begins its journey at the Largo Transit Center and then makes a southbound turnaround on US 19 at Whitney Rd. The route then follows the path of Route 19 down the central US 19 corridor to the Pinellas Park Transit Center (Shoppes at Park Place). From there; the route continues down the 34th St N corridor of US 19 to Grand Central Station and the Skyway Marina District. 20 to 30-minute weekday frequency is maintained throughout the day, with 30-minute evening and Saturday frequency, and hourly Sunday service. Select trips to Eckerd College are retained as well.

#15108 at Tyrone Square Mall.
#15108 at Tyrone Square Mall.

route-18Route 18 was originally poised to see major revisions in an effort to streamline service. These plans called for the segment servicing Heritage Apartments to be discontinued, as well as the removal of service into Largo Mall’s parking lots. However; fierce resistance from customers forced PSTA to reconsider the removal of these segments until a longer-term solution can be crafted. In the meantime; Route 18 continues to operate as it did previously – but with some scheduling changes to help keep buses moving on time.

In the future, perhaps during the course of 2017 or 2018, I see PSTA revisiting Route 18 for the removal of service from Heritage Apartments. This will especially be the case if the agency’s Direct Connect service expands further to include more stops. Currently, the revised draft calls for the addition of five stops in strategically located areas of Pinellas, where getting to a bus stop is difficult.

In my next post; I will cover changes for Routes 52, 59, 60, 61, and 67 – focusing on the improvement of these routes through Largo (Routes 52 and 59), Clearwater (Routes 60 and 61), and Oldsmar (Route 67). I will then publish a third post covering Routes 62, 66, 76, 78, the North County Connector routes, and the Jolley Trolley – focusing on the reorganization of these routes through Northern Pinellas.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding these changes – I recommend that you contact PSTA directly at 727-540-1900, or by visiting PSTA.net. Please keep in mind that during the course of this week – Real Time Bus Information through the Clever Devices Interface (ridepsta.net) and OneBusAway may incrementally be unavailable due to updates that are needed to accommodate these route changes.

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Legalese | Disclosures

LYNX and HRT Service Changes – Effective 8/28/16

LYNX and HRT Service Changes – Effective 8/28/16

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LYNX-HRT August 2016 Service Changes 1

Beginning Sunday, August 28, 2016, the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX) and Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) will enact various service changes throughout their respective systems. Please read carefully through the following changes. Further details – including route schedules – can be found on the transit agency’s website.

LYNX August 2016 Service Changes

HRT August 2016 Service Changes

 LYNX

FYI: LYNX refers to their bus routes as “links”

New Routes

  • Link 320 – Avalon Park Schools Connector – New weekday service from Alafaya Trail/East Colonial Drive to East Colonial Drive/Chuluota Road and Avalon Park providing service to the Econ River High Charter School. Service began on August 15.

Routing Adjustments

  • Link 10 – East U.S. 192/St. Cloud (Osceola County) – Eastbound buses will operate on Orange Avenue instead of Grape Avenue between 10th Street and U.S. 192. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments.
  • Link 24 – Millenia (Orange County) – Westbound buses on Oak Ridge Road will operate via International Drive, Altamira Drive, Adrianna Avenue and Oak Ridge Road to the Orlando Premium Outlets International Drive. Eastbound buses will now operate via Oak Ridge Road to Millenia Boulevard. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments.
  • Link 31 – LYMMO Orange-Downtown (Orange County) – While being the “original” LYMMO circulator line, the route’s numbering has been inconsistent with the three subsequent LYMMO routes that have 60-series route numbers. As a result, LYNX is re-designating this route as Link 60 (LYMMO Orange-Downtown).
  • Link 62 – LYMMO Grapefruit (Orange County) – Layover location will be moved to E. Church Street/S. Magnolia Avenue. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments.
  • Link 63 – LYMMO North Quarter Line (Orange County) – The current bus stop on N. Orange Avenue/Concord Street will be moved north to N. Orange Avenue between Colonial Drive and Concord Street.
  • FastLink 407 – Kissimmee/Medical City/Orlando International Airport (Osceola County/Orange County) – The direction of travel will change for this route. Trips from the LYNX Kissimmee Intermodal Station will serve Orlando International Airport (OIA) before Medical City and then reverse on the trips from Medical City to the LYNX Kissimmee Intermodal Station. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments.

Trip Adjustments/Additions/Eliminations

  • Link 6 – Dixie Belle Drive (Orange County) – The Weekday/Saturday 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. trips, as well as the Saturday trips from Dixie Belle Drive/Gatlin Avenue, the 4:55 a.m. weekday; and 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday trips from Colonial Plaza SuperStop will all be eliminated. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments.
  • Link 8 – W. Oak Ridge Road/International Drive (Orange County) – A trip at 6:05 a.m. on Weekdays and Saturdays will be added, as well as a 5:15 a.m. trip on Sundays – all from LYNX Central Station. A 4:14 p.m. Weekday, 5:15 p.m. Saturday, and 4:48 p.m. Sunday trips will be added from Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments.
  • Link 23 – Winter Park/Springs Plaza (Orange County) – The Saturday 5:40 a.m. trip from Denning Drive/Webster Avenue and the 5:45 a.m. trip from Springs Plaza will be eliminated.
  • Link 37 – Pine Hills/Florida Mall (Orange County) – A 5:55 a.m. weekday trip, as well as 7 and 8 a.m. Sunday trips will be added from Silver Star Road and Hiawassee Road. 3:10 p.m., 4:10 p.m., and 5:10 p.m. trips will be added on Weekdays; and 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. trips will be added on Sundays – all from Florida Mall. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments.
  • Link 40 – Americana Blvd./Universal Orlando (Orange County) – The 4 a.m. Saturday and 4:45 a.m. Sunday trips from LYNX Central Station will be eliminated.
  • Link 102 – Orange Avenue/South 17-92 (Orange County) – The 4:45 a.m. weekday trip from LYNX Central Station will be eliminated, as well as the 10:28 p.m. Sunday trip from Fernwood Boulevard and Oxford Road. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments.
  • Link 106 – N. U.S. 441/Apopka (Orange County) – The 1 a.m. weekday trip from Apopka SuperStop will be eliminated. A 4:25 a.m. Weekday and a 4:50 a.m. Sunday trip from Apopka SuperStop will be added. A 9:45 p.m. Saturday and a 7:45 p.m. Sunday trip from LYNX Central Station will also be added. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments..
  • Link 107 – U.S. 441/Orlando Florida Mall (Orange County) – A 9:15 p.m. trip on Sunday from LYNX Central Station will be added. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments.
  • Link 313 – Winter Park (Orange County) – The 7:40 p.m. weekday, 6:39 a.m. and 7:33 p.m. Saturday trips from Florida Hospital will be eliminated, as well as the 6:45 a.m. Saturday trip from LYNX Central Station.
  • FastLink 418 – Florida Mall/Meadow Woods/Lake Nona (Orange County) – The 7:30 p.m. weekday and Saturday trip from the VA Hospital will be eliminated. There will also be minor scheduling adjustments.

Minor Scheduling Adjustments

The following routes will see minor scheduling changes – many of which include changes to timepoints and/or running times.

  • Link 3 – Lake Margaret Drive (Orange County)
  • Link 9 – Winter Park/Rosemont (Orange County)
  • Link 20 – Malibu Street/Mercy Drive (Orange County)
  • Link 26 – Pleasant Hill Road/Poinciana (Osceola County)
  • Link 28 – E. Colonial Drive/Azalea Park (Orange County)
  • Link 29 – E. Colonial Drive/Goldenrod Road (Orange County)
  • Link 44 – Hiawassee Road/Zellwood (Orange County)
  • Link 50 – Downtown Orlando/Magic Kingdom (Orange County)
  • Link 54 – Old Winter Garden Road (Orange County)
  • Link 108 – S. U.S. 441/Kissimmee (Orange County/Osceola County)
  • Link 434 – SR 434 Crosstown (Orange County/Seminole County)
  • Link 436N – SR 436 Crosstown (Orange County/Seminole County)
  • NeighborLink 652 – Maitland Center (Orange County)

HRT

New Routes

  • Route 55 – Greenbrier Circulator (Southside) – New Monday through Saturday service from Greenbrier Mall to Robert Hall Blvd via Crossways Blvd.
  • Route 968 – MAX (Express) – Silverleaf Park-N-Ride / DoD Suffolk – New express route will provide service between Silverleaf Park-N-Ride to the Joint Staff Compound in Suffolk. There will be two AM trips leaving Silverleaf (6:00, 6:30) and two PM trips leaving the Compound (3:40, 4:10).
  • Route 969 – MAX (Express) – Indian River Park-N-Ride / DoD Suffolk – New express route will provide service between Indian River/Greenbrier Park-N-Ride to the Joint Staff Compound in Suffolk. There will be two AM trips leaving Indian River(6:11, 6:30) and two PM leaving the Compound (3:40, 4:10).

Route Eliminations

  • Route 427 – Denbigh Midnight (Northside) – Route discontinued due to low ridership. Note, this was a lone commuter run that began its trip at about 12:00am, hence the route’s name.

Routing Adjustments

  • Route 14 – Robert Hall Blvd / TCC Chesapeake (Southside) – Route has been revised to service TCC Chesapeake in one direction only.
  • Route 111 – Thomas Nelson Community College / Riverside Regional (Northside) – Route modified to provide service between Patrick Henry Mall and Fishing Point via Canon Blvd.Hourly service to the Newport News/Williamsburg Airport, Mary Immaculate Hospital and Riverside Convalescent Center removed from the Route 111.  Hourly service to the airport will now be provided by Route 116. Hourly service to Mary Immaculate and Riverside Convalescent center will be provided by the Route 107.
  • Route 116 – Lee Hall / Patrick Henry Mall (Northside) – Route revised to provide service to Newport News/Williamsburg Airport. Service frequency will also change from 70 minutes to 60 minutes.
  • Route 119 – Fishing Point Dr/Riverside Regional Medical Center (Northside) – Service to the Canon facility will be discontinued. Route 111 will provide service to Canon Blvd.
  • Route 121 – Newport News Transportation Center / Williamsburg (Northside) – Boarding/Disembarking for for this route at NNTC will now be done on Washington Ave between 34th and 35th St. (In front of the clock tower)
  • Route 966 – MAX (Express) – Silverleaf Park-N-Ride / Newport News Transit Center – Boarding/Disembarking for this route at NNTC will now be done on Washington Ave between 34th and 35th St. (In front of the clock tower). Schedule has also been adjusted to start service from Silverleaf at 5:40 AM.

Trip Adjustments/Additions/Eliminations

  • Route 15 – Evelyn T. Butts Ave / Robert Hall Blvd (Southside) – Service to Greenbrier Mall, Monday – Friday limited only to after 7:30 PM; service to Greenbrier before 7:30 PM, will be provided by Route 55. Service to Robert Hall also increased to every 30 minutes.
  • Route 103 – Downtown Newport News / Downtown Hampton (Northside) – Weekdays and Saturdays, after 8:00 PM service frequency will be changed from every 45 minutes to hourly.  Sunday service will be hourly.
  • Route 104 – Downtown Newport News / Newmarket (Northside) – Weekdays and Saturdays, after 8:00 PM service frequency will be changed from every 30 minutes to hourly. Sunday service will be hourly.
  • Route 108 – Patrick Henry Mall / Lee Hall (Northside) – Service frequency will change from 70 minutes to 60 minutes.
  • Route 918 – MAX (Express) – Silverleaf Park-N-Ride to Lafayette River Annex/Gate 4 – Due to low ridership, service will be reduced to one AM trip (6:00) and one PM trip (4:15).
  • Route 961 – MAX (Express) – Norfolk to Hampton to Newport News – New 4:00 PM trip from NNTC to DNTC via Evelyn T Butts.

Minor Scheduling Adjustments

The following routes will see minor scheduling changes – many of which include changes to timepoints and/or running times.

  • Route 12 – South Norfolk / TCC-Virginia Beach (Southside)
  • Route 23 – Norfolk General / Military Circle / Janaf (Southside)
  • Route 109 – Downtown Hampton / Buckroe (Northside)
  • Route 112 – Downtown Newport News / Patrick Henry Mall (Northside)
  • Route 115 – Buckroe / Downtown Hampton (Northside)
  • Route 403 – Buckroe Shopping Center (Northside)
  • Route 414 – NNTC/Jefferson/Oakland (Northside)
  • Route 415 – NNTC/Denbigh (Northside)
  • Route 430 – Denbigh Fringe (Northside)

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Legalese | Disclosures

HART Service Changes for Spring, 2015

hartride2012tampa

Markup 1

It’s that time of year again to report on service changes for Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART). For this round of service changes, effective Sunday, April 26, 2015, several routes will see scheduling and/or time point changes to help improve efficiency throughout the system. Routes 8, 9, 31, 36, and 53LX will see scheduling changes and Routes 24X and 25LX will see deletion of a time point.

Summary of Service Changes

Please see the graphic below for a quick summary:

Markup 2

Scheduling Changes

Now, let’s go into greater detail about the changes for each route:

Route 8

The following weekday northbound departures from the Marion Transit Center will change:

4:30AM departure changes to 4:45AM
5:00AM departure changes to 5:15AM
5:30AM departure changes to 5:40AM

Plus various running time changes throughout the day

The following weekday southbound departures from Westfield Brandon Mall will change:

5:00AM departure changes to 5:10AM
5:30AM departure changes to 5:40AM

Plus various running time changes throughout the day

On Saturdays; all trips will depart the Marion Transit Center at :20 after the hour instead of :30 past. Trips from Brandon will remain the same, but running times will change.

On Sundays; all trips will depart the Marion Transit Center at :20 after the hour instead of :15 past. Departures from Westfield Brandon will adjust from :30 past the hour to :40 past.

Click here for the full schedule (Opens in a new window)

Route 9

On Saturdays; departure times from the Marion Transit Center will change from :50 after the hour to :00 past. Trips leaving the University Area Transit Center will change from :15 past the hour to :10 past. Layovers at the Yukon Transfer Center will also be adjusted, along with running times.

On Sundays; departure times from the Marion Transit Center will change from :50 after the hour to :00 past. Trips leaving the University Area Transit Center will change from :05 past the hour to :10 past. Layovers at the Yukon Transfer Center will also be adjusted, along with running times.

Weekday schedules will remain unchanged

Click here for the full schedule (Opens in a new window)

Route 31

Route 31 will see the following changes in the northbound direction:

5:10AM departure remains as-is, but running times will be adjusted
6:15AM departure changes to 6:20AM
7:30AM departure remains as-is, but running times will be adjusted
8:45AM departure changes to 8:50AM
10:00AM departure changes to 10:05AM
11:15AM departure changes to 11:20AM
12:30PM departure changes to 12:35PM
1:45PM departure changes to 1:50PM
3:00PM departure changes to 3:05PM
4:20PM departure changes to 4:25PM
5:30PM departure changes to 5:40PM
6:15PM departure changes to 6:20PM
6:45PM departure changes to 7:05PM

The following changes will be made in the southbound direction:

All morning and midday departures from Westfield Brandon will remain the same, but running times will change. The following departures will see adjustments:

4:20PM departure changes to 4:25PM
5:35PM departure changes to 5:45PM
6:45PM departure changes to 6:55PM

Click here for the full schedule (Opens in a new window)

Route 36

HART Flex customers will need to pay close attention to these changes, as they will impact their transfers to and from Route 36.

Weekday northbound departures will change from :00 and :30 past the hour to :05 and :35 past. Please note that the two early departures from the West Tampa Transfer Center will change from 5:20AM and 5:50AM respectively to 5:25AM and 5:55AM respectively.

Most weekday southbound departures will change from :00 and :30 past the hour to :25 and :55 past. There are a few exceptions however, please pay close attention to the following:

4:30PM, 5:00PM, and 5:30PM departures remain as-is, but running times will change
6:00PM trip changes to 6:10PM
6:30PM trip changes to 6:35PM
7:00PM trip remains as-as, but running times will change
7:30PM and 8:00PM trips change to 7:25PM and 7:55PM respectively
8:25PM and 9:25PM trips will remain as-is, but running times will change

On Saturdays; southbound departures will change from :40 after the hour to :35 past. Northbound departures will remain the same.

On Sundays; southbound departures will change from :40 after the hour to :35 past. Northbound departures will remain the same.

Please note that running times will change on ALL trips.

Click here for the full schedule (Opens in a new window)

Route 53LX

In order to accommodate the new bus stop at St. Joseph’s Hospital South, all running times have changed.

Click here for the full schedule (Opens in a new window)

Time Point Changes

Routes 24X and 25LX

The timepoint at S. Dale Mabry Hwy and Pinewood St will be eliminated from schedules and maps. The southbound stop will continue to be served on inbound trips (morning) and the northbound stop will continue to be served on outbound trips (afternoon).

Travel Tips

Please plan your day accordingly, as arriving too late WILL result in you missing your bus.

You can always download the OneBusAway app to your smartphone and check when your bus is predicted to arrive. The app is available through the iTunes Store (for Apple devices) and the Google Play Store (for Android devices). Don’t have access to an Apple or Android smartphone? No problem! View instructions for other supported devices, desktop/laptop computer, and text messaging on the HART website.

Did you know that OneBusAway Tampa now supports touch tone telephone lookup? Just call 813-452-4622 and follow the easy-to-use instructions.

If you’re on a desktop or laptop PC, you can also track where your bus is located before you go! Just visit the third-party Laicos Bus Finder and input the addresses of where you’re coming from, and where you’re going to. The interface will then show in real-time where your bus is traveling (very helpful when a bus is on detour and your nearby stop might not be serviced). Smartphone apps are in the works from what I understand.

Need further info? Discover a discrepancy with the schedules? Please contact HART at 813-254-4278. Please keep in mind that all scheduling info posted here, I have pulled directly from the HART website. If you happen to see anything that I’ve posted incorrectly, please let me know.