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HART OKs Bus Route Changes, Eliminates 2 Runs

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By RICH SHOPES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 5, 2008

Updated: 02/04/2008 11:47 pm

TAMPA - The "Carrollwood Express" is vanishing, but waiters and hospital workers will get a break with new late-night service under a package of route changes approved Monday by the county's bus agency.

As part of a regular review of service, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit board voted to make changes on 16 routes. Most involve additional stops and reduced or extended hours, such as later weekday or new weekend service.

Two routes - Route 44 in Central Tampa and 26X, also known as the Carrollwood Express - are being eliminated to save money.

Route 44 runs a route similar to Route 45, but serves fewer riders. The 26X express bus has the fleet's lowest ridership - about seven passengers - during its two morning runs.

"So we're sending a 40-foot bus out there to cover seven people," HART spokesman Ed Crawford said.

Most of the service changes will take effect March 30.

Changes affecting the 16, 30, 39, 88 and 59LX buses will not occur until early May, when a new transfer center opens near Sheldon Road and Waters Avenue.

Some riders applauded the changes.

Shawn Morrissey of Central Tampa regularly catches the Route 18 and Route 19 buses to his job as a server and cashier at the dining room at Tampa General Hospital.

Getting to and from work doesn't usually pose problems unless he is asked to work a late shift, which happens from time to time.

"It definitely will help. It has been a problem in the past," he said.

But not everybody is happy.

By canceling service on the 26X, Paul Broughton will have a longer commute in the morning to catch another bus, likely the 50X.

"It will add another 25 minutes in the morning," said Broughton, who administers Tampa's employee pension plan.

He figures he'll stick with HART, though.

"I'll still save money. I won't have to pay for gas and parking," he said.

The cost of the changes is estimated at $460,000. About half of that will be absorbed by lower expenses from service cuts. Layoffs last fall will make up the difference.

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633 or at rshopes@tampatrib.com.

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