CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, or PSTA, will offer free parking and shuttle services this spring break for those going out on the town.
Riders can use the shuttles after parking their car in Clearwater Beach and be dropped off at the Clearwater Marina near Pier 60, according to the agency. The service begins Feb. 25 and runs through April 27.
These are the free parking locations:
- The old City Hall lot on 112 S. Osceola Ave.
- The city grass lot south of the City Hall Lot on 200 S. Osceola Ave.
- The county garage near Forward Pinellas on 310 Court St.
Drivers should note the county garage lot near Forward Pinellas will be open on weekends only.
From Monday through Thursday, the shuttle waiting times will be every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Waiting times on Friday through the weekend will be every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to midnight, except for Sunday which runs until 10 p.m.
The region's SunRunner service is expected to have high ridership numbers during its second spring break period after launching in 2022. It runs from the downtown St. Petersburg area to St. Pete Beach.
Riders should keep in mind that, only when using the same form of payment, a one-way fare on the SunRunner starts at $2.25. PSTA stays riders will not pay more than $5 a day.
Subsequent rides after $5 spent will be free for the rest of the day.
"People can really see the benefits of the SunRunner by its convenience and ease by allowing passengers to avoid the headache of finding a parking spot and paying an arm and a leg to park," Brad Miller, the CEO of PSTA, said in a statement.