TAMPA, Fla. — It's considered the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority's most popular bus route, and it's slated to be free beginning next year.
Tampa city council members narrowly voted to include free fares and increased frequency for HART's Route 1 Florida Avenue for one year using $1.65 million in city funds. It runs between the university area and downtown Tampa.
"It's really important to just find ways to alleviate the pocketbook of some of our hardest working Tampeños," Tatiana Morales of YIMBY Tampa said.
Morales was among those advocating for its passage and spoke during Tuesday's city council budget meeting.
About 3,000 people ride along Route 1 every day.
During an earlier meeting this month, it was revealed that 32,000 people and 56,000 jobs are found within a quarter mile of Route 1. At least 18% of people within that area do not own a car and just more than a quarter live below the poverty line.
In addition, 14% of people have a disability and 64% are minorities.
Morales believes public transportation is a need. Her father recently survived a stroke, prompting him to rely on public transportation. She said his story is just one of several people, especially from the working class.
"I realized that he was deeply dependent on people giving him a ride, getting an Uber, which can cost a lot of money," she said.
Supporters add the free fares also allow the opportunity to ease traffic throughout Tampa and allow people to save money on other needs like housing and grocery bills in an already challenging economy.
"That's the beautiful thing about investing in public transit. You're not just addressing one issue," Dayna Lazarus, co-founder of Transit Now Tampa Bay, said.
Lazarus said she has been advocating for a better bus system for several years and pushed for the council's decision as well by helping garner encouragement, which included hundreds of emails of support.
She said she hopes Tuesday night is only a first step to improving public transportation in the city and a region as a whole.
"We want to demonstrate to the state and the feds that we as a city are taking public transit seriously so that we can continue to get matching funds and funding assistance from the state and federal government," Lazarus said.
In the meantime, Lazarus and other supporters hope the temporary program will allow workers who contribute to the city save money.
"It's a public service," Lazarus said. "A human right."
Some city council members want to pump the brakes and raised some concerns including funding, long-term sustainability, and whether other routes should also be given consideration.
Council members also voted to add $150,000 in paratransit services.
Route 1 fees are expected to begin being waived as early as January. HART is expected to discuss details on the plan during its meeting on Monday.