Page was last updated on 01/06/2025.
Hillsborough Transit Authority [doing business as Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART)] is the public transit district in Hillsborough County, Florida, covering the municipalities of Tampa, Temple Terrace, Carrollwood, Brandon, and Ruskin. HART was established by an act of the Florida Legislature in 1980 & comprises of over 40 fixed-route local and express bus routes, a door-to-door paratransit service (HART Plus), several flex-route neighborhood connectors (HART Flex), & a lightened version of bus rapid transit (MetroRapid). In addition to these services, HART also manages the TECOline Streetcar Line.
While the HART acronym continues to be used, the Hillsborough Transit Authority name was only used internally until 2021, when the agency began using it externally.
Agency Snapshot
Established: 1980.
Services Provided: Local & Express (fixed-route) Bus, Paratransit Van Service.
Number of Fixed Bus Routes: 34.
Number of Revenue Vehicles: Roughly 140 fixed-route buses. Roughly 80 Paratransit vans.
Number of Major Transit Hubs: 7.
While HART provides Paratransit service within the bounds required by federal law, service outside of these bounds are provided through the Hillsborough County Sunshine Line.
NEXT STOPS
Real-Time Vehicle Predictions/Tracking
As of 04/01/2025, HART is no longer using OneBusAway (OBA) for real-time tracking. A temporary page has been setup using the agency’s current vehicle locator software proviided through Swiftly. In the coming months, the agency will transition to a new locator software provided through Clever Devices. HART encourages customers to download the Transit App, which they’ve begun to officially endorse as of 03/01/2025.
System Overview
The remainder of this page will go through a general overview of the HART bus system.
New to the system? Please read through my Transit 101 posts to get a general overview of how to use public transit. For specific information pertaining to HART, please visit their website.
Network Structure
Like many transit districts; HART operates on a hub-spoke system by which routes travel out of centralized transfer points. There are currently two full-service transit centers that include a staffed customer service window. These centers also include restrooms, sheltered bus loading bays, & vending machines. In downtown Tampa, the Marion Street Transit Center (MTC) provides seamless connections to roughly a dozen local bus routes & 2 limited express bus routes.
There are a total of 38 routes in the HART system; 34 of them being fixed bus routes & the other 4 being flex zone-based van services.
Span of Operating Service
Service schedules vary throughout the HART system. While most routes operate 7 days a week, Routes 24LX, 25LX, 31, South County Flex, & East Fletcher Flex only operate on weekdays – with Routes 24LX & 25LX only operating during peak hours. To view schedules, you may select the Transit Routes link above.
Holiday Schedule
HART operates a Sunday-level schedule on most major holidays.
Bikes on Transit
All HART vehicles (including Flex vans) are equipped with bike racks (can accommodate a maximum of two bikes). Additionally, folding bikes are allowed on board, given that they are properly packed/folded and are not blocking aisles. Please see my Transit 101 blog post regarding Bikes on Transit to learn how to use the on-board bike rack. You can also contact HART at 813-254-4278 to set up a demonstration.
Disclaimer
While I do my best to keep the information listed in the Transport sections accurate, please keep in mind that schedules, fares, & other information is subject to change without notice. To obtain the latest information, please contact the transit agency directly. If you spot something wrong, please let me know via the Contact form.
The Global Transit Guidebook 