TAMPA, Fla. — Several Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) funding grants that allowed for free rides on the TECO Line Streetcar in Tampa have expired, according to the Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART).
Now, HART is working to determine how to move forward without those additional funds. A hearing regarding the reinstatement of fares on the TECO Line Streetcar is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 at the HART Ybor Administrative Offices, the agency announced in a news release.
"With the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) funding grant for fare-free service coming to an end, HART - as operator of the TECO Line Streetcar - may need to reinstate fares by January 5, 2025," HART officials stated on the agency's website.
For the week leading up to the hearing, HART has posted a survey for riders to offer their thoughts on the proposal, which can be found here.
The TECO Line Streetcar has been offering customers fare-free rides since 2018. That year, an initial three-year FDOT Joint Participation Agreement of $2.7 million covered operating costs for frequency and span of service improvements and customer fares.
When that agreement expired in 2021, FDOT reportedly provided a 2-year Public Transportation Grant Agreement for $1.4 million.
For fiscal year 2024, HART said FDOT had agreed to provide an additional 12 months of funding, totaling $700,000 with a matching contribution from the City of Tampa.
"A reinstated fare needs to cover the current FY 2025 operational budget shortfall, approved by the Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. (THS) Board of Directors on August 27, 2024," HART officials stated in the release.
