February 10, 2009 - Tampa, Florida - Just one week after its Super Bowl success, the TECO Line Streetcar System carried more record crowds - this time for the 2009 Gasparilla celebration.
Transit Plays a Role
Gasparilla revelers hopped aboard the streetcar to the tune of 12,238 rides between Ybor City, the Channel District and downtown Tampa on Saturday.
This comes just days after Tampa hosted Super Bowl XLIII, which saw combined ridership of more than 45,000 on the streetcar system on Friday, January 30th and Saturday, January 31st.
"These ridership numbers demonstrate the important role public transit can play during major events like the Super Bowl and Gasparilla," said HART CEO David Armijo. "As we move forward with improvements like Bus Rapid Transit and a Hillsborough County rail system, transportation in our community will continue to get better, faster, and more convenient for both our residents and our visitors."
Up Next - Knight Parade
This weekend brings another major event to the area - the annual Sant' Yago Illuminated Knight Parade, taking place this Saturday, February 14th at 7 p.m. on 7th Avenue in Ybor City. Park downtown or at Channelside, then take a fun ride over to Ybor, where we'll drop you off right on the parade route. HART's In-Town Trolley Green Line serves parking garages in downtown Tampa with connections to the streetcar at Dick Greco Plaza, near the Tampa Convention Center.
Due to road closures for the parade, the streetcar system will not serve the following stops between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.: Cadrecha Plaza Station (13th Street & 7th Avenue), Streetcar Society Station (15th Street & 8th Avenue), Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union Station (16th Street & 8th Avenue), and Centennial Park Station (20th Street & 8th Avenue). A temporary stop at 7th Avenue and 12th Street will provide access to Ybor City during the parade.
Streetcar Fares
1-Day Unlimited Ride Card - $5.00
1-Day Discount Unlimited Ride Card - $2.50*
One-Way Cash Fare - $2.50
Discount Cash Fare - $1.25*
Discount fare available for seniors age 65 or over, youths 17 or younger, people with disabilities or Medicare cardholders
Exact change required when paying onboard - streetcar motormen cannot make change.
Ticket Vending Machine at Dick Greco Plaza
Always open, always convenient, HART has installed an automated Ticket Vending Machine at the Dick Greco Plaza transportation center, located adjacent to the Tampa Convention Center, Marriott Waterside and Embassy Suites. You can use cash or credit cards anytime. It's easy to use, saves you time, and eliminates the need for exact change!
HART Mission Statement
Our Team is dedicated to providing excellent customer service while building solutions to support Hillsborough County's needs...now and into the future.