TAMPA, Fla. (WFTS) — Free bus rides could soon be a reality for many in Tampa.
Tampa City Council recently voted 4-3 to spend $1.5 million of City money to make a HART bus route between University Area and downtown Tampa free.
Councilwoman Lynn Hurtak proposed the idea ultimately approved by council.
"The point of this is to help everyday working people. And you know, if you ride the Number One, or if you ride the bus to and from work every day, that's $2 each way. That's $4, $4 times 20, even if it's only for work days, is $80 a month. For some people that is make or break," she explained.
The people who depend on the bus agree.
Gregory Burnam says he frequently uses Route 1.
"For the basic people who just, you know, the nine to five people who going to work and everything. Bus one is a great bus to have for free," he said.
Route 1 was chosen because within a quarter mile, there's 32,000 residents and 56,000 jobs. If you look at the make up within a half mile that, it's 64,000 residents and 100,000 jobs.
However, 18% of the households within a quarter of a mile do not own a vehicle. 26% of the people are under the poverty line, 64% are minority, and 14% have a disability.
The route has 56 stops, starting near USF, and ending in downtown Tampa; the bulk of route remains on Florida Avenue.
About 3,000 passengers per day rely on that very route.
Under this proposal, the bus would operate on a 15-minute schedule, not the current 20-minute schedule. That would put the timeline closer to the TECO Streetcar's timeline.
It's drawing comparison the TECO Streetcar, a service offered free to riders along its Downtown Tampa/ Ybor route.
"I think that the street car, in my opinion, was a really good way of showing how if you build it, they will come basically. And so it's time to expand that," said Councilwoman Hurtak. "It's time to expand it to the people that truly need it. The people whose lives will change. And it's not just gonna affect the peoples whose lives will change. People who own cars will think again and say, 'Oh, I'm going to try this'."
The proposal is drawing push back from some council members, including equity and if the city should be footing the bill. During discussion, Council member Gwen Henderson addressed her concerns.
"I think my issue with this is that there are other routes that are not free in our city, and it is really about equity," she said. "So for us to provide additional funding wouldn't be fair to other areas in Tampa that could use financial support."
But to the people living in University Area, like Burnam, it would be a big help.
"It passes by a lot of key places that you need to take business in, like the Social Security Office, restaurants, the store," he said.
USF students also support a free route.
"I'm a pre-dental student, and I'm looking for shadowing, but I found a spot, except I don't have a car. Most students here, first time in college don't, and so I don't have access to that location, because it's so expensive to Uber every day and buses, it would take me three buses to get their," said Jaydn Cumandala.
Adrian Molina said he doesn't have a car, so the service would finally allow him the chance to leave campus and venture into downtown Tampa.
"I think it'd be like, great for this, like, whole campus, because a lot of people go out there and it's like paying for Ubers like that could get costly after a while, that can be really hefty for the pockets," said Connor Flaherty.
The final step is approval at the next HART board meeting. That's scheduled for September 23rd.
If approved, the free bus fare would launch in January and run throughout the year.
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