The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is planning on introducing a new 727 express bus service from downtown St. Petersburg to the Tampa International Airport in October.
A public open house was held Wednesday at the St. Petersburg College St. Petersburg campus to discuss the project.
The “premium, limited stop” route will utilize the express lanes on the new southbound Howard Frankland Bridge, PSTA chief planning and community affairs officer Darden Rice told the Catalyst. The organization has partnered with the Florida Department of Transportation.
“Service from Pinellas County to Tampa International Airport has been something that people have been asking us for for years,” she said. “With the development of the express lanes, now we have a way to run our buses over the bridge without getting stuck in traffic.”
Rice explained that Tampa International Airport is “one of the biggest regional hubs.”
The new service is anticipated to replace Route 100, which also provides transportation from St. Petersburg to Tampa via the Gandy Bridge.
“This is not a decision that we make lightly,” she said. “We are dealing with some pretty serious budget constraints. It’s hard for PSTA to be everywhere and everything to everybody.”
According to PSTA, the 727 service will provide 75% more trips to Tampa. Route 100 is in the bottom 10 in ridership. It only offers 120 trips per week and is not available on the weekends.
The planned effort will run seven days a week from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. The one-way fare cost will be $2.25.
Nine different connections are currently proposed. These include access to the SunRunner (transportation to St. Pete Beach) and the upcoming Tampa Bay Ferry service.
Erik Portuondo, a PSTA client, attended the Wednesday event. He believes eliminating Route 100 could have a serious impact on individuals who use the service for daily transportation.
“This proposed 727 is not going to be an actual replacement,” Portuondo explained to the Catalyst. “Route 100 services the community, workers and students. This new route is going to just be, in my opinion, for tourists and it’s barely going to get used.”
Portuondo’s travel time to Tampa will be extended by two hours if Route 100 is cancelled. The St. Petersburg resident added that he’s not opposed to a TPA service.
However, Portuondo believes that eliminating Route 100 “puts the needs of visitors in front of the people who live here.”
“Honestly, I’m kinda on board with it,” said Ruskin resident Zachary Bryant during the event’s public comment section. “It seems like a good thing for getting to and from Tampa a little faster over the bridge.”
St. Petersburg resident Rachel Killam utilizes Route 100 to travel to the University of Tampa daily. She is the institution’s associate director of career readiness.
“For the past three years, I wrote my dissertation to and from work everyday to earn my Ph.D on the 100X,” Killam said at the open house. “Route 100X has also meant that I arrive to work balanced and regulated because I’m not driving in the crazy traffic. This route has enabled my family more economic stability.”
Additionally, the service has allowed her to connect with other residents. This has “deepened my appreciation for the Tampa Bay community.”
Killam argued that when public transportation is reduced, it can lead to staffing challenges, increased turnover and a smaller pool of available workers.
“Reliable transit is an investment in our local economy and is a public service,” she said. “I love the airport route, but is that serving our public community that’s going to and from work?”
Killam suggested that PSTA find a comparable option to Route 100 or reconsider the service’s cancellation. “Maintaining essential routes like 100 demonstrates that PSTA values reliability, accessibility and the communities it serves.”
PSTA staff said that they will consider the comments made at the open house.
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
