ST PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority launched a new express bus service that connects South St. Pete to downtown and to St. Pete Beach on Monday. The bus service, called Spark, is an idea Eckerd College students helped ignite, local leaders said.
The all-electric express bus service runs along 34th Street South from Eckerd College to Grand Central Station seven days a week, 365 days a year. It connects the college to South St. Pete and the Skyway Marina District with downtown and St. Pete Beach.
What they’re saying:
“Our master plan states the need for a stronger bus connection along 34th Street South, improved shelters, sidewalks and direct transit access,” Misty Bottorff, the executive director of the Skyway Marina District, said. “With the launch of the Spark Bus, we are seeing that vision in action. Spark connects us seamlessly along U.S. 19, delivering our residents, students, businesses and visitors easier access to the Skyway Marina District.”
“Spark is not just adding another bus line,” Brad Miller, PSTA’s CEO, said. “We’re introducing a premium fast service designed to move people quickly, comfortably and conveniently along one of our most important corridors, 34th Street.”
Local leaders say it connects students and neighborhoods separated by distance and accessibility barriers to the heart of the city’s economic growth.Â
“Spark represents more than just a new line on our map,” PSTA Board Chair and St. Petersburg City Council member Deborah Figgs-Sanders said. “It’s a symbol of what happens when innovation, equity and community partners come together. It’s the next step of PSTA’s commitment to respond to the real needs of the people we serve, the workers, our students, our seniors, our families who rely on public transportation each and every day.”
“Whether that is going to see entertainment or our vibrant arts community, whether that hopping on the bus to go down to the beach and see our award-winning and treasured natural areas, this bus line is helping to bring us all together and continue to strengthen our community in so many ways,” Florida Representative Lindsay Cross, (D) District 60, said.
The buses run from 5 a.m. to midnight every 15 minutes during the day, and every 30 minutes during the early mornings and late nights.
Students at schools along the route, like Eckerd College, St. Petersburg College, Gibbs High School and Pinellas Technical College, ride for free.Â
“Spark represents, for all Eckerd community members, reliable and affordable transportation to and from campus,” Dr. James Annarelli, the president of Eckerd College said. “As has been mentioned, for students, it provides an easy way to reach downtown St. Petersburg, their internships and their part-time jobs, as well as offering access to them to the many cultural and recreational opportunities that our great city offers.”
“Not everybody is able to have a car on campus, so having our own transportation is really nice because then we’re able to go downtown and explore the city, especially if we’re out of state, and we don’t have to pay an absurd amount of money for an Uber,” Eckerd freshman Erica Bauer said.
PSTA says Spark builds on the success of the SunRunner.
“It links directly with SunRunner, strengthening a network that is already helping residents, workers and visitors move efficiently across our city without needing a car,” St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch said. “Most folks that come here from other areas have that expectation that they won’t necessarily have to have a car, and now we’re finally making progress towards that.”
Spark won’t use dedicated buses and turn lanes, though, like the SunRunner does. Leaders say it will drive connection in more ways than one.
“As this community grows, we have to think long-term about how to get people to work in school and entertainment and Spark gives them a new reliable choice to do that,” Congresswoman Kathy Castor, (D) Florida’s 14th Congressional District, said.
PSTA upgraded the 18 Spark stations with newer shelters, lighting and digital screens with real-time bus information. An FDOT grant also helped pay more than one million dollars in operational costs. PSTA had to match that $1,000,400, a PSTA spokesperson said.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by PSTA and local, state and federal leaders.Â