PSTA plans to add services, oversee ferry proposals
Pinellas County’s public transit agency has a much rosier outlook than it did at this time last year when a budget deficit forced board members to cut low-ridership routes.
Instead, its leadership plans to implement an express service on 34th Street South in St. Petersburg, a new tourism-focused shuttle service based at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) and oversee the procurement of a new Cross Bay Ferry operator.
In addition, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) officials said $2.25 per ride and $5 daily fares would remain unchanged in 2025. Board members heard the proposals and several welcome announcements at Wednesday’s budget meeting.
“I’m very happy to report that ridership for April 2024 was the first month of the fiscal year where – despite service reductions made at the beginning of the year and the implementation of fares on the SunRunner – overall ridership was higher than it was a year ago,” said CEO Brad Miller.
The agency’s board discussed eliminating the six least-traveled routes in July 2023. Financial maneuvering enabled PSTA to avoid sending three in St. Petersburg serving a high school, college and low-income neighborhoods to the junkyard.
PSTA now has a $1.1 million budget surplus. Debbie Leous, chief financial officer, credited “everyone here for tightening their belts” and increasing operational efficiency.
New services
Agency leadership believes bolstering tourism services and local partnerships will continue driving revenues. Darden Rice, chief planning and community affairs officer, said PSTA plans to enhance rather than eliminate routes in a county where half the population lives below the federal poverty line or “paycheck-to-paycheck.”
“These are people that depend on PSTA’s service,” she added. “Employers depend on PSTA to get people to the workplace.”
Former St. Petersburg City Councilmember Darden Rise is now PSTA’s planning and community affairs director. Screengrab.
A limited-stop route will increase connectivity between Eckerd College and Grand Central Station. Rice said it would also complement the SunRunner service. State grants will partially fund the initiative, part of a pedestrian safety project that will improve walkability and incorporate bus-and-turn lanes along 34th Street South.
Local leaders have recently clamored for a direct airport-to-beach route. Rice said PSTA has heard those desires “loud and clear,” and her team “is working with stakeholders to determine what that service looks like, what the ridership will be, the operating and capital costs, and potential sources of revenue to pay for it.
“Stay tuned.”
In April, Commissioner Brian Scott, a PSTA board member, asked PIE executive director Tom Jewsbury if the airport could accommodate the increased traffic. Jewsbury said it could integrate with plans for a new parking garage, and “we’re definitely interested in seeing that.”
Oldsmar Mayor Dan Saracki called it a “great, new idea” Wednesday. Commissioner Dave Eggers said the service has “real potential.”
Rice noted that PSTA is also considering implementing stations in north St. Petersburg’s booming Gateway area and around a new Pinellas County Government complex in Clearwater. “And a potential multimodal location at the Historic Gas Plant redevelopment – an exciting project in St. Pete.”
The Cross Bay Ferry leaves its temporary dock at Port St. Petersburg. The service faces an uncertain future after the 2024-25 season.
Waterborne transit
Forward Pinellas board members approved a contract with Seattle-based Diedrich RPM to study the regional ferry market at their May 8 meeting. PSTA is already seeking an operator for the Clearwater Ferry, which carries passengers from the city to Clearwater Beach and Dunedin.
Chris Steinocher, CEO of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, told the Catalyst in May that he envisioned a single entity, like PSTA, overseeing a regional ferry network. The agency expects to issue a request for proposals for a Cross Bay Ferry operator in the coming months, Rice said Wednesday.
“These are successful, popular, well-done services,” Rice added. “And they are the foundation for the waterborne transit studies that you’ve read about in the news lately, in which Forward Pinellas and others are evaluating potential expansion.”
Electric buses
The meeting concluded with another positive update as the agency works to electrify its fleet. Henry Lukasik, maintenance director, expects to receive 20 electric buses by October.
He said PSTA operates approximately 210 heavy transit buses – 106 are diesel, 92 are hybrids and 12 are electric. Lukasik provided cost savings estimates utilizing data from six electric vehicles the agency purchased in 2018 and 2020.
After accounting for charging and significantly reduced maintenance expenses, PSTA will save $552,000 in fiscal year 2025 by taking 20 diesel buses off the road. For example, Lukasik said the agency will decrease its oil consumption by 1,400 gallons next year.
Budget discussions will continue through September. PSTA’s board will then hold two public hearings before a final vote.
JudyToo
June 29, 2024at6:26 pm
If PSTA is servicing the 50% of Pinellas County’s poverty level residents, why is their ridership only 1.5% of the population? We know from their financial statements the taxpayers are paying 100% of capital costs and 90% of operating costs for a total of $188 Million this year. Ridership shows that riders pay $0.80/ride and taxpayers pay $18/ride.
Now they are planning to get in the ferry business which will cost taxpayers even more. PSTA takes $188 Million out of our economy which could be used to help acosiderably more than 1.5% of the residents.
PSTA is a failure, spending taxpayers money to drive empty buses around the county with few actual riders. That money could be more helpful providing infrastructure improvements to 100% of the population, including road repairs and maintenance, upgraded sewage treatment and storm drainage systems.
Pedro V
June 28, 2024at1:58 pm
Finally, that’s what we been waiting for: progress. Thank you PSTA for giving us what we need. Please don’t stop the hype, keep the momentum going and hopefully our system will be advanced enough that will redefine the region. Hopefully we can get some unfunded proposed new routes in as well. Stay tuned.
kadet
June 28, 2024at1:10 pm
Thank god for the new ferry. We really need one that operates more frequently and actually runs year round, and I’m glad to see they’re bringing in people from Seattle (which has a robust ferry system) to consult.
Page Obenshain
June 28, 2024at10:08 am
If the ferry made a profit, why wouldn’t they be back? Subsidies certaintaintly helped but did not put them in a profitable situation.
Steve D
June 27, 2024at11:22 pm
I’m in Indianapolis, Indiana right now. I had to choose which express bus, with its own lane and climate-controlled station, to take me to my destination. Clean.,.safe… and on time….Sigh.
Steve Sullivan
June 27, 2024at5:50 pm
Barry Ross, stop painting a false narrative around this area. Firstly, the area is clean and not littered with trash as you say. PSTA, has full time maintenance crew several days a week. I know because I use the Grand Central Bus Station frequently. There is no major crime issues on site, again, because SPPD has a presence already. What it could use is a good cleaning and power washing of the building and sidewalks
Barry Ross
June 27, 2024at3:12 pm
The city and PSTA needs to implement a safety and security plan for the bus station on Central Ave. It’s becoming a hazard and no one will want to ride with the amount of debris and trash being left around and no city sanitation schedule to remove it. The city needs to add a police sub station to this area like many other cities do for their transit stations.