Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) began service on its SunRunner bus rapid transit (BRT) route on Friday, Oct. 21. The 10.3-mile line is Tampa Bay’s first BRT and connects St. Pete Beach to St. Petersburg, Fla.
The service, which will be free for the first six months of operation, surpassed 10,000 riders in its first four days of operation.
“I am thrilled to know that the community has welcomed the SunRunner with open arms,” said CEO of PSTA Brad Miller. “Seeing the SunRunner packed at 6 a.m. until the evening in both directions truly shows that this community needs more alternative transit solutions to get people to and from their destinations.”
The SunRunner features semi-dedicated lanes, limited stops and safety enhancements for riders including level boarding platforms and crosswalks. The route is operated with hybrid vehicles with service every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes between 8 p.m. and midnight. The vehicles also feature Wi-Fi, charging stations at every seat and have digital displays for customer information.
“We are seeing an unprecedented amount of riders showing their support for this service. Many are using the SunRunner to get to work, to get to the beach and just to get around,” added Miller.
The SunRunner project was funded with a $21.8 million federal grant through the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program, Florida Department of Transportation covered 25 percent of the project cost with PSTA and the city of St. Peterburg splitting the remaining costs. Operating costs of the BRT line will be supported by PSTA and Florida Department of Transportation.
