State legislation from the 2012 Florida Legislative Session mandates a study for the consolidation of HART and Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA). This webpage provides details about the history of this legislation and progress regarding the mandated study.

History of Florida house bill 599

Similar language to the HART/PSTA consolidation study legislation in HB599 was initially filed by Fla. Sen. Jack Latvala on Jan. 9, 2012, as part of Florida Senate Bill 1866, or the Transportation Bill, which was not taken up by the close of the legislative session on March 9, 2012. An amendment to HB599 was then filed to include the HART/PSTA study, and HB599 was finalized and passed by the Florida Legislature (House and Senate) at 11:51 p.m. on March 9, 2012.

The HART and PSTA Boards met July 23, 2012, for a joint meeting to award a contract to McCollom Management Consulting to conduct the state-mandated HART/PSTA consolidation study. An oversight committee, made up of members from each transit board, was established as the study progressed through November 2012. A final report with recommendations must be submitted to the Florida Legislature e by February 1, 2013.

Since the joint meeting July 23, the meetings listed below have followed. Meeting sites listed as "PSTA" take place at 3201 Scherer Drive in St. Petersburg and meeting sites listed as "HART" take place at 1201 E. Seventh Ave. in Tampa.

-  07/23/2012 @ 1:30 p.m. @ PSTA:  HART/PSTA Joint Boards Meeting

-  10/15/2012 @ 2:30 p.m. @ PSTA:  HART/PSTA Boards Study Oversight Committee

-  11/12/2012 @ 10 a.m. @ HART:  HART/PSTA Boards Study Oversight Committee

-  11/14/2012 @ 6 p.m.:  HART/PSTA Coordination Study Webinar 

-  11/15/2012 @ Noon:  HART/PSTA Coordination Study Webinar

-  12/10/2012 @ 9:30 a.m. @ PSTA:  HART/PSTA Boards Joint Meeting

-  01/28/2013 @ 10:30 a.m. @ HART:  HART/PSTA Boards Joint Meeting

 

The study was completed November 2012:

Evaluation of the Three Scenarios Regarding PSTA/HART Consolidation - 11/29/2012

 

HART Board Position Statements and Resolutions

• 01/07/2013:  HART Board Prepares for Report to Fla. Legislature Regarding Merger Recommendations

• 12/17/2012:  HART Board Reconsiders Position Regarding HART/PSTA Consolidation Study

• 04/02/2012: Resolution in Opposition to CS/CS/CS/HB599: Transportation and Mitigation Programs

• 03/05/2012: HART Board opposes Florida House/Senate Bill as an unfunded mandate      

• 03/01/2012: Amendment Filed to House Bill on HART/PSTA Consolidation

• 01/09/2012: HART Board Takes Position on Proposed Senate Bill

• 11/07/2011: 2012 Legislative Policy Statement Approved by the HART Board

Comments Regarding the Possibility of HART and PSTA Consolidation,

By Dr. Steve Polzin, HART Board Vice Chair

HART Leads regionally, while serving locally

As an independent transit agency, HART partners and collaborates with various private and public entities when it is deemed advantageous to HART customers and stakeholders. This has allowed HART to lead regionally, while serving locally. Find out more.

In the News

• Opinion:  HART leads on regional transit

• Opinion: Even if merger isn't in cards, agencies should work together more to better region

• Report finds no savings in transit merger

• Merger of Hillsborough, Pinellas transit agencies studied

• HART/PSTA go forward on possible merger

• Tampa Tribune Editorial:  Merging Transit Takes Tampa Nowhere

• In Transit:  HART Board Takes a Position During Joint Meeting

• Wall Street Journal:  When Civic Mergers Don't Save Money

 

© 2012 Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART). Tampa, Florida. Public transit service for Tampa, Ybor City, Macdill, Temple Terrace, and Tampa International Airport

HART Title VI Program
Equity of Access to Transit Services

Programa Titulo VI de HART
Igualdad de acceso a Servicios Transitos