Get from the Skyway Marina District to Grand Central & vice versa with fast, frequent, & reliable service!
This page will serve as placeholder for my new information page on PSTA’s Spark Premium-Branded BRT Lite Service. In the weeks following the 10/27/2025 launch, this subsection will be structured very similarly to my PSTA SunRunner information page – with separate pages for the service’s general overview, history, & customer information. For now, I will provide a condensed overview on this page.
Please be advised that as of right now, I do not have my own photos of the buses that will be used on the Spark route. Photos presented on this page – below this paragraph (as well as the featured page photo at the top) – are provided to me by Logan R.
Overview
The Spark is the second premium-branded bus service that PSTA is slated to launch, with the first such service being the SunRunner. Both services have similarities in how they operate, but there are also some key differences – how the buses operate, the buses used for the service, fare payment options, & station amenities/construction differ.
Route Map
Spark vs SunRunner
Similarities
- Both services operate 7-days-a-week, with 15-minute frequency service periods, similar spans of service, stylized stations with shelters (with solar lighting), totems, information screens that display departure information, & route maps.
- Both employ a dedicated sub-fleet of 40′ Gillig transit buses that are equipped with the rear plug-style door option for easier boarding & alighting. Those using mobility devices should board & alight through the front door. Those paying via contactless payment methods (i.e. contactless debit/credit cards, mobile wallet, or Flamingo Fares) can use either the front or rear doors to board & pay.
- Buses on both routes stop at all stations, regardless of whether customers are boarding/alighting or not to create a premium, train-like experience.
- Transit Signal Priority (TSP) is utilized to an extent on both routes (if buses are operating 15 minutes or more behind schedule). However, this is no longer being advertised for either service due to heavy speculation that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is heavily regulating use of TSP protocols to prioritize traffic on Interstate 275 & other limited access highways throughout the state of Florida.
Differences
| Spark | SunRunner | |
| Span of service | Every day from 5:00am until 12-midnight | Every day from 6:00am until 12-midnight |
| Frequency | Every 15 minutes between 6:00am & 8:00pm every day Every 30 minutes at all other times every day | Sunday through Thursday Every 15 minutes between 6:00am & 8:00pm Every 30 minutes at all other times Friday & Saturday Every 15 minutes for the entire service day |
| Semi-dedicated lanes | No | Yes Along 1st Avenues & Pasadena Ave S |
| Level platform boarding | No | Yes |
| Fare payment options | Cash & Contactless Cash-paying customers will need to use the front door for boarding | Contactless Only |
| Type of buses used | 12 battery electric 40′ Gillig Low Floor Plus buses | 12 diesel-electric hybrid Gillig BRT Plus buses |
| Unique service livery scheme on buses | No Buses use the standard two-tone aqua/white livery scheme as standard route buses | Yes Buses are wrapped with unique SunRunner-branded livery scheme |
| Bike rack setup | Traditional exterior, front-mounted bike rack 2 bikes max | Interior, vertical slider-type bike racks 3 bikes max |
The Global Transit Guidebook 