Transit

HART is charging once again after the route from USF to downtown Tampa was free last year under a pilot program.

PSTA is proposing an express bus route with continuous service between downtown St. Petersburg and Tampa International Airport. A new cross-bay ferry service is already set to launch in 2026.

An interesting mix of convos on "Florida Matters Live & Local." We roam from free rides and student loan changes to safety tips and a local queen hitting the national stage.

Business owners say the ferry would help bolster sales, while city officials say it could lead to a more cooperative effort to create a regional transit system.

Hillsborough's transit agency said the new buses will reduce annual maintenance spending by more than $1 million, improve on-time performance and reduce harmful emissions.

Speaking to the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, they say they will focus on the now-defunct Hillsborough transportation tax and homeowners insurance.

A study shows downtown Tampa commuting increased more than any other city in the first five months of 2023.

Florida was offered $320 million in federal funding for transportation projects aimed at reducing tailpipe emissions, but turned it down because of "politicization."

The Biden administration wants a federal judge to reject a lawsuit filed by Florida in a dispute about transit funding and a new state law that placed additional restrictions on public-employee unions.

Use of Manatee County Area Transit buses has increased around 18% over the last year since the free rides started Nov. 1.

Among the referendums coming before voters in November: A 1% sales tax to go to transportation projects in Hillsborough County and a half-cent sales tax in Hernando County would go to roads and parks. A property tax to resurrect Polk County's program to preserve environmentally sensitive lands. And renewal of the Penny for Pasco.

Transit riders in the Tampa Bay region will soon be able to pay bus fares with a smart card or mobile app. It’s one of the building blocks to creating a…