Hurricane
 
MOVING YOU TO SAFETY
HART to Operate Emergency Evacuation Routes During Hurricane Irma

Regular Operations Suspended Until Further Notice

 
September 8, 2017 - Tampa, Florida - Based on the path of Hurricane Irma, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) is suspending all public transit services including the TECO Line Streetcar System on Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, September 10. This is subject to change based on changing weather conditions.

Under the direction of the Hillsborough County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), The HART Emergency Evacuation Bus Routes will begin operation at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 9. The nine routes serve four designated shelters in Hillsborough County. People who need transportation to these shelters can find their nearest Evacuation Bus Route on www.gohart.org or by calling the HARTinfo Line at (813) 254-HART (4278). A recorded message on service levels will be available as well.    
Shelters Served
The HART Emergency Evacuation Bus service consists of nine routes serving four designated shelters, including Smith Middle School , Pizzo Elementary School, Middleton High School and Shields Middle School 
    
Evacuation Route Stops

Emergency Evacuation Stop Sign

 

Blue and white stop signs mark the Emergency Evacuation Bus Routes. People in need of transportation to a shelter can catch an evacuation route bus at a stop, or flag down the bus at any point along the route.


There are a total of 246 of these signs posted throughout the area; at least 25 for each of the 9 Emergency Evacuation Bus Routes.
Alerts to be Issued to Media
Media alerts will be issued during a storm threat as follows:
 
  • Pre-storm: Suspension of regular service, date and time effective
  • Pre-storm: Activation of Emergency Evacuation Bus Routes, date and time effective
  • Pre-storm: Cessation of Emergency Evacuation Bus Routes, date and time effective (if possible)
  • Post-storm: Status of service, expected date of return to schedule (if possible)
  • Post-storm: Resuming normal schedule, date and time effective
Special Needs
Areas not covered by the HART Evacuation Bus Routes will be served by buses operated by the Hillsborough County School District. Citizens needing information about emergency evacuations or with special medical needs should call the EOC at (813) 272-5900. The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority operates under the EOC plan in the event of a hurricane. 
To Learn More
For more information and downloadable versions of the HART Emergency Evacuation Bus Route maps, go to the HART website, www.goHART.org
 
Click here to go directly to the HART Emergency Evacuation page.  
 
HART customers are encouraged to monitor local media announcements for the status of public transportation for updates, or call the HARTinfo Line at (813) 254-HART (4278), or TDD (813) 626-9158. HART is the primary source for accurate public transportation information. 

HART patrons are strongly advised to monitor news reports, check www.gohart.org and the HART social media outlets (Facebook @Hillsborough Area Regional Transit, Twitter @GoHART) for updated information regarding all service updates.
 
In addition,receive HART Detour and Service Alerts with Everbridge. Simply sign up for an account with your email and log in. Once logged in, click "Sign up" next to "Don't Have an Account". Select the routes that you wish to receive service notifications for and you're done.

Want text notifications? Add you phone number and service provider when registering your account.  

For more information on the HART Emergency Evacuation Bus Route service, including maps and detailed instructions, visit our website, www.gohart.org, and click on "Emergency Evacuation Routes."
Media Contact
Sandra Morrison  
Public Information Officer
phone: (813) 384-6610
cell phone: (813) 545-5497