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New Tampa to USF Express Route Offers More Options

HART has changed Express Route 52X, providing service from New Tampa to the University area, from an express route to a limited express route with additional stops. The new route will make a loop through the USF campus, with stops on Fletcher Avenue, Magnolia Drive, Holly Drive and 131st Avenue.

The new service started on Monday, March 13 and is eligible for use under the HART/USF U-PASS Program. USF students can ride the service free with a valid University identification card, and faculty and staff will pay 25 cents. The regular fare to ride the service will change to the local fare structure and cost $1.50 each way.

The new Route 52LX was redesigned to offer more direct access to employment centers, the University of South Florida campus and area hospitals. A second New Tampa stop was added at the Muvico Starlight 20 Theater parking lot on Highwoods Preserve Parkway.

The new bus stops are convenient to University Community Hospital, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and the James A. Haley VA Medical Center. In addition, USF students and faculty members will be able to enter the campus without transferring at the University Area Transit Center.

Commuters traveling from the New Tampa area to downtown Tampa will still have the option of taking the 51X express route at the $2.50 express fare for each way.

For detailed route information visit www.hartline.org or call HARTinfo at (813) 254-4278.

About Us_______________________________________

Raymond Siedlarz has served as a board member of the New North Transportation Alliance since 2002. Raymond represents the James A. Haley VA Medical Center where he works as a Program Specialist for the Facility Management Services. His duties include working with key executive and leadership officials as well as VIN 8 staff to develop, operationalize and monitor the organizational-wide strategic plan.

Board Member Siedlarz addressed the NNTA Advisory Board on March 8, and provided information on the VA Medical Center’s vanpool program and the Federal Transit Benefit. The Federal Transit Benefit program for the Department of Veterans Affairs is designed to encourage employees to use mass transportation in their commute to and from work in order to reduce air pollution, noise, and traffic congestion in metropolitan areas. The program is available to all qualified VA employees and provides a maximum monthly subsidy amount offered by the VA which can be applied to an employee’s public transportation commuting costs. Indirect costs, such as gas, mileage, parking, or an employee’s personal or leased vehicle, cannot be included as part of the cost qualifying for the transit benefit. Approximately 100 employees currently take advantage of this benefit.

The VA Medical Center currently has 5 vanpools transporting 30 employees to work at the Center. Siedlarz estimates that these vanpools reduce 450,000 vehicle miles traveled and 22,500 gallons of gasoline. At an average of $2.30 a gallon, that is a cost savings of $51,750 for the vanpool group.                                                      

Office of Neighborhood & Community Relations Provides Opportunities for Partnerships

Shannon Edge, Director of the Office of Neighborhood & Community Relations for the City of Tampa, addressed the NNTA Advisory Board at their March meeting and offered opportunities to create partnerships.

The Office of Neighborhood & Community Relations serves as a link between the Mayor, City of Tampa Departments and the citizens of Tampa. The goal of the Office is to ensure city government is an effective partner with the citizens in order to improve the overall quality of life in Tampa’s neighborhoods.

The Office is holding Community Meetings to involve businesses, residents, and other interested individuals in planning the future of Busch Boulevard. The meetings will be held at Busch Gardens Facility & Human Resources Training Room located at 3605 E. Bougainvillea Avenue. The meetings will be held from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. The first meeting was held on February 22 with meetings scheduled for May 24, August 23 and October 25. For further information contact Ms. Edge at (813) 274-7835.

Mayor to Host Town Hall Meeting in New Tampa

Mayor Pam Iorio will host a town hall meeting on Tuesday, April 11 at the Hunters Green Elementary School on Cross Creek Boulevard in New Tampa from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Citizens and business owners in New Tampa are encouraged to attend.
The meeting is being held in an effort to make city government more accessible to Tampa's residents. City administrators and department representatives will also be available to answer questions on a variety of topics.

For additional information, please contact Shannon Edge, Neighborhood & Community Relations Director, at (813) 274-7835.

Want to save money & make better use of your time by carpooling or vanpooling-
but don't know anyone to share the commute with?
We may be able to help! Join the regional rideshare database by following the link on the Commuter page of our website, www.newnorthalliance.org,  or by calling 813-974-9799 to speak with a New North Transportation Alliance representative.