When the weather turns foul and emergency officials give the word to evacuate a neighborhood, some residents can find themselves with the problem of having no way to leave.
One option is the emergency evacuation bus service operated by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART). The service provides transportation for people who don’t have a car or other method of getting out of harm’s way during severe weather conditions or other disasters. HART operates when an official emergency evacuation order is issued and it is directed to support evacuation efforts.
According to the transit agency’s website, “Emergency bus service is free. For the safety of our bus operators, buses will operate during daylight hours only. Service will be suspended when the Emergency Operations Center advises HART to remove vehicles off the road or when sustained winds reach 35 miles per hour.”
HART’s emergency evacuation bus service is a vital public service designed to assist residents in evacuating safely and efficiently during emergencies. Regular bus service will not operate when emergency evacuation services are being provided.
The evacuation buses running along emergency routes take riders to one of four transfer centers for further transportation to a county shelter. The four emergency route destinations are: the Netpark, Northwest and Yukon transfer centers and the University Area Transit Center. For example, Route 38, which runs through the middle of Brandon along Parsons Avenue, will deliver riders to the Netpark Transfer Center, as will Route 37, which departs from Brandon Exchange (formerly known as Brandon Mall). Not all routes operate during emergency operations, and riders need to stay informed about the most current weather conditions and how transportation is affected.
Beth Shields Middle School in Ruskin serves as a county evacuation shelter that may be activated if emergency officials decide it is necessary. It is served by HARTFlex South, and riders can call 813-254-HART (4278) anytime between 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Sunday, to plan ahead for emergency transportation needs.
Riders who count on HART to provide transportation service can keep track of service status during bad weather and, when it is a fine day, by checking with the transit agency’s blog at https://gohart.blogspot.com/, as well as its Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also call the HART InfoLine at 813-254-4278 for the latest service information and visit www.gohart.org for maps, schedules and more information.
