News & Public Affairs
Upgrades to Hillsborough transit include flex service and soon, bus rapid transit listen
08/10/11 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: HART, Transportation, Hillsborough County, bus rapid transit
Last year, Hillsborough County voters rejected a one-cent sales tax increase to pay for transportation, including a light rail network. Now the county’s transportation agency, HART, is considering a slight tax increase pay for bus service and make up for declining property values. Marcia Mejia, the public information officer with Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority says the bus system has more riders than ever.
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Be the first to commentDoes new Florida transportation plan call for privatizing public toll roads?
08/05/11 Seán KinaneWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Transportation, privatization, FDOT
Friday afternoon the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) released what it’s calling a Major Transportation Plan. It promises to advance projects across the state, including on these highways in the Tampa Bay area: State Road 50 in Hernando County, Pinellas Bayway in Pinellas County, and Veterans Expressway in Hillsborough County. The plan doesn’t use clear language, but seems to imply that new construction of managed lanes on these highways will be privatized. ...
Be the first to commentWill average auto fuel efficiency standards increase to 54.5 mpg?
08/03/11 Seán KinaneLast Call Wednesday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: League of Conservation Voters, Florida Conservation Alliance, Melissa Meehan Baldwin, Transportation, CAFE, Auto Industry, energy efficiency, bicycling
Last Friday, the Obama administration announced proposed fuel efficiency standards for passenger cars and trucks should be 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. The standards will be phased in.
Our guest is Melissa Meehan Baldwin. She's the Florida climate organizer for the Florida Conservation Alliance, which is the Florida affiliate of the League of Conservation Voters.
We took calls about the proposed CAFE standards, Congress' Transportation Reauthorization Bi...
Be the first to commentHART approves millage rate ceiling hike listen
08/01/11 Janelle IrwinWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: HART, In-Town-Trolley, transit, taxes, Transportation
This morning, the Board of Hillsborough’s transit agency, HART, raised the maximum amount it can assess homeowners for the county’s bus and other transportation services. During the two hour meeting the board also addressed collective bargaining and changes to In-Town-Trolley routes.
Meeting rising costs without asking tax payers to pony up is becoming more and more difficult in a struggling economy and issues concerning transportation are no exception. In their first meeting since June, ...
Be the first to commentPSTA is cutting some transportation services listen
07/28/11 Andrea LypkaWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: psta, Transportation, Pinellas County Schools, transit
According to New York Public Transit Association, public transportation saves Americans the equivalent of 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually. But Tampa Bay might be missing out on some of those efficiencies because due to budget cuts, transit agencies are cutting bus services and next year, more citizens may be forced to carpool or drive.
Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) community relations manager Bob Lasher says because of declining property taxes or ad valorem revenues, ...
Be the first to commentHillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe weighs in on all that is happening in Hillsborough County govt.
06/16/11 Mitch PerryLast Call Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Mark Sharpe, kathy castor, Transportation
Mark Sharpe discussed possibly running for Congress next year against Kathy Castor, but the 2nd half of the show was dominated by callers talking about transportation with the County Commissioner.
Be the first to commentPreliminary HART budget would raise ad valorem, cut routes listen
06/06/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Monday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: HART, transportation, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit, Mark Sharpe, Sandy Murman, transit
Falling revenue may mean more cuts for Hillsborough County bus services. Today the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority’s Board of Directors approved a preliminary budget that would ax fifteen stops, and drastically reduce service in some areas. Philip Hale, the agency’s interim CEO, said drawing on reserves has prevented such cuts in the past, but that’s not an option anymore.
4 comments"For the last three years we have been, in essence, balancing the budget, adding additional service, but...
TBARTA gets funding cut by Governor Scott - and Tampa state Representative Janet Cruz talks about what it's like being a Democrat in Tallahassee
05/26/11 Mitch PerryLast Call Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: Ronnie Duncan, Janet Cruz, TBARTA, Transportation, 2011 legislative session
Ronnie Duncan from TBARTA begins the show commenting on the reduction of funding from the state for the local transportation agency.
Also, Tampa House Democrat Janet Cruz discusses the just concluded Florida Legislative session, a brutal one for Democrats like herself.
Be the first to commentTampa's Mayor participates in National Ride Your Bike to Work Day listen
05/19/11 Nolan RuarkWMNF Drive-Time News Thursday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: SWFBUD, Bob Buckhorn, Bikes, Alan Snell, bicycling, transportation
Today is National Ride Your Bike to Work Day, and May is National Bike Month. To honor the date people held events across Tampa to raise awareness of bicyclists.
Today, Tampa City council commended Alan Snel, the director of the Southwest Florida bicycle United Dealers (SWFBUD), for advocating bicycle safety and bicycling as a means of transportation.
Be the first to comment“We have a lot of partners and people are moving bicycling up in Tampa from many different directions so it’s not just me but I really ...
TBARTA: public transit faces cuts in funding, spike in demand listen
05/06/11 Kate BradshawWMNF Drive-Time News Friday Listen to this entire show:
Tags: TBARTA, Rick Scott, Ronnie Duncan, Bob Clifford, high-speed rail, transportation, light rail, transit
Public transit is clearly a tough sell in Florida these days, though skyrocketing gas prices are making the case for alternative transportation. Facing increases in demand and decreases in funding, transit officials may have to do more with less.
The state legislature created Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority, known commonly as TBARTA, in 2007, when times were different. Facing cuts in state funding, executive director Bob Clifford said the organiza...
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