PRESS RELEASE

Sharon Dent, Executive Director

4305 East 21 St. Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33605-2300
Phone: (813) 623-5835 Fax - (813) 664-1119

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jill K. Cappadoro
Director of Marketing
(813) 223-6831

BUS FARE CHANGES THE SUBJECT OF
PUBLIC HEARING

JANUARY 7, 2002 - TAMPA, FL - Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) will hold a public hearing to address potential bus system fare changes on Monday, January 14, 2002. The meeting will be held at the County Center building, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd, in the 2nd floor Board of County Commission Chambers. The hearing will begin at 8:30 a.m. Public testimony will be taken at this public hearing, by e-mail addressed to maynesm@gohart.org, or by calling HART at (813) 223-6831, ext. 2213. Major fare changes being considered by HART include an increase in the base local bus fare from $1.15 to $1.25 per trip, express fares from $1.50 to $2.00 per trip, and an increase in the one-day unlimited ride farecard from $2.50 to $3.00. The proposed fare structure is as follows:

Proposed Fixed Route Fare Changes - Effective March 31, 2002

Local Routes

Current

Proposed

Cash Fare $1.15 $1.25
Discounted Cash Fare $.55 $.60
1-Day Local Unlimited Ride $2.50 $3.00
1-Day Discount Local Unlimited Ride $1.25 $1.50
20-Ride Local $20.00 $25.00
20-Ride Discount Local $10.50 $12.50
31-Day Local Unlimited Ride $40.00 $48.00
31-Day Discount Local Unlimited Ride $20.00 $24.00
Circulators Cash Fare $.50 $.50
3-Day Unlimited Ride Visitor Pass $7.50 $9.00
3-Day Unlimited Ride Visitor Pass (Group Discount) $5.00 $6.50

Express Routes


Current


Proposed

Cash Fare* $1.50 $2.00
1-Day Premium Express Unlimited Ride $3.50 $5.00
20-Ride Express $28.00 $40.00
31-Day Express Unlimited Ride $50.00 $75.00
31-Day Premium Express Unlimited Ride $65.00 $85.00
*Express Cash fares are proposed to be increased $0.25 each year over the next two years following the March 31, 2002 adjustment date.

Proposed Paratransit Fare Changes - Effective March 2003

Paratransit Fares

Current

Proposed

Simple - One bus $2.30 $2.50
Complex - Two buses $3.45 $3.75
Most Complex - Three or more buses $4.60 $5.00

(Paratransit fares are determined by the number of buses the trip would take if it were completed by using the regular scheduled bus routes.)

-HART-