Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

Will use the existing annunciation system on buses to broadcast 10- to 15-second messages. The program is managed by transit media firm Commuter Advertising, which enables time and location-based commercials triggered by GPS systems. HART is one of 10 transit agencies in the U.S. to use the technology.

Fifty-eight percent of respondents were supportive of spending public or tax money to bring light rail to parts of the Tampa Bay area.

The 17.5-mile line, which runs through downtown Tampa to Telecom Park/Hidden River Corporate Park, will feature Transit Signal Priority (TSP) technology and improve travel-time savings by 10 to 15%.

Planners suggested implementing a policy Sept. 1 that children younger than 12 years old boarding a bus or paratransit van must be accompanied by someone older than 12.

A growing number of riders prompted the agency’s proposal to approve a new sales tax to fund the system and eliminate the portion of the property tax now dedicated to transit. Shift may boost revenue enough to enable the purchase of 250 more buses and add new routes.

David J. Armijo will replace retiring Mary King, who led the transit district since October 2009.

Last year, Hillsborough County residents voted against a sales tax referendum for light rail, which was followed by Gov. Rick Scott's rejection of $2.4 billion in high-speed rail funds.

The HARTFlex program will offer passenger van service in populous areas with regular stops at crucial destinations such as hospitals and shopping centers. The pilot also will connect to regular and express route bus stops and pickup service.