TAMPA, Fla. \u2014 The countdown is on for riders of Hillsborough Area Regional Transit\u2019s Route 1, as the fare-free pilot program that has covered the cost of bus trips for the past year is set to end on January 4, 2026.<\/p>\n
While the Tampa City Council did not approve extending the fare-free system permanently, community organizers say the push wasn\u2019t wasted \u2014 because it helped secure new funding to make the system faster and more reliable.<\/p>\n
During the most recent budget cycle, the Tampa City Council approved about $1.3 million to improve Route 1 service, including plans for 15-minute frequency from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 20-minute service in the evenings and on weekends.<\/p>\n
What You Need To Know<\/p>\n
The HART Route 1 fare-free pilot program that has covered the cost of bus trips for the past year is set to end on January 4, 2026
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During the most recent budget cycle, Tampa City Council approved about $1.3 million to improve Route 1 service, including plans for 15-minute frequency from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 20-minute service in the evenings and on weekends
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Riders should prepare to resume paying fares on January 5 and after
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HART caps costs at no more than $4 per day and $65 per month, no matter how many trips a rider takes<\/p>\n
Transit advocates say that investment comes directly from lessons learned during the pilot \u2014 which showed just how many people rely on Route 1 daily.<\/p>\n
\u201cRidership did increase by over 50% and the on-time performance increased month after month,\u201d said Dayna Lazarus with Transit Now Tampa Bay. “One of our bigger goals was to get people on the bus and just show that there is a demand. If you take away some of the barriers for people who haven\u2019t ridden before, they can give it a try \u2014 and that obviously worked out very well.”<\/p>\n
For riders like Jennifer Lock, the pilot was more than a convenience \u2014 it was stability during a difficult chapter. She says free fares helped her focus on finding work and housing after experiencing homelessness.<\/p>\n
Transit advocates are now asking the council to consider another fare-free program in the future, saying the pilot proved how access drives opportunity.<\/p>\n
For now, riders should prepare to resume paying fares on January 5. HART caps costs at no more than $4 per day and $65 per month, no matter how many trips a rider takes.<\/p>\n
Advocates say that while fare-free service may be gone for now, the investment in reliability is a major win for one of Tampa\u2019s busiest routes.<\/p>\n
The countdown is on \u23f3 HART Route 1\u2019s fare-free pilot ends Jan. 5. Tampa didn\u2019t approve permanent free rides \u2014 but did approve $1.3M to boost frequency to 15 minutes during peak hours. Riders will pay no more than $4\/day or $65\/month. @BN9<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/pPvf6MvAyu<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Fadia Mayt\u00e9 Patterson, M.S. (@FadiaTVNews) December 31, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n