Waiting at a designated HART stop is the best way to access walk-in service. HART van services include HartFlex and HartPlus (Paratransit). All vans run on compressed natural gas (CNG), which is of American origin, is more cost-effective, cleaner and safer than diesel-powered vehicles. Reservations must be made between two hours and three days before the trip.
If the van is already reserved, alternative times will be suggested. Passengers who don't show up four times in a 30-day period will have their HartFlex reservation suspended for two weeks. However, they can still use the walk-in service when it becomes available. The driver will drop you off at any other designated HART stop along the route in the same direction.
HartFlex vans are now equipped with bicycle carriers. Flamingo fares are NOT valid on the HartFlex service. The bus service is fully accessible to people using wheelchairs or motorized scooters. All buses have public address systems to announce stops and illuminated signs to request a stop. HART Plus services, available only where HART bus routes operate, are based solely on the applicant's functional ability to use HART buses and not solely on their disability.
Information provided by a social services agency or other professional about the applicant's ability to use the bus may also be taken into account. This process takes just 21 days. All HartPlus services must be booked the day before the service is desired. Call 813-254-HART (the HARTinfo line) or 813-626-9158 (TDD for people with hearing problems) during regular customer service hours to make a reservation. If you have any questions, please contact Customer Service.
WalkWise Tampa Bay is managed by the University of South Florida's Urban Transportation Research Center (CUTR) and funded by District 7 of the Florida Department of Transportation. Sunshine Line offers door-to-door transportation and bus passes for seniors, low-income people, and people with disabilities who don't have or can't afford their own transportation. In the morning, network (neighborhood) buses transport all Magnet students (who live two or more miles from school) from a neighborhood bus stop to an assigned transfer point, where students board a shuttle bus to school. If you have any questions that are not addressed on this website, do not hesitate to contact the Local Transportation Office or the Exceptional Supervisor of Student Education in your area. The purpose of this manual is to provide parents with a source of information that addresses responsibilities and concerns related to specialized transportation services for students receiving exceptional student education.
The safe and efficient transportation of your child depends on the cooperation and efforts of the school, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Exceptional Student Education, the student and the parents.
