TBARTA Launches TD Tampa Bay, New Regional Transportation Disadvantaged Service

TAMPA, Fla. (November 4, 2020) – TBARTA, the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority, is teaming with UZURV to provide regional transportation to those most in need, transportation disadvantaged (TD) riders. Thanks to an Innovation and Service Development Grant Award approved by the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (CTD), the new service, TD Tampa Bay, begins on December 1.

TD Tampa Bay will complement the intra-county TD service already provided by local Community Transportation Coordinators (CTC), who primarily offer transportation within their county’s borders. Through TD Tampa Bay, qualified riders will now be able to schedule on-demand, cross-county trips throughout TBARTA’s five county region. That includes Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Pinellas counties.

“TBARTA is working to improve regional transit options across Tampa Bay, and TD Tampa Bay demonstrates our commitment by providing new mobility to our most deserving riders, those who rely on public transportation because of age, income, or disability,” said TBARTA’s Executive Director David Green. “Enhancing regional mobility improves access to employment, job training, health care and more. The Tampa Bay region has so much to offer, and those opportunities should not be limited by county borders.”

County-based service coordinated by CTCs will remain participants’ primary transportation option. TD Tampa Bay is designed to fill the gaps, providing transportation that otherwise is not available. That includes trips that cross from one TBARTA county to another, as well as on weekends and evenings when CTCs are not operational.

“TD Tampa Bay creates important additional mobility options for transportation disadvantaged riders and will have a meaningful impact across the Tampa Bay region. This program gives riders of all backgrounds peace of mind and the freedom to travel when it is best for them, improving their quality of life.” said John Donlon, UZURV CEO.

Florida’s Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged coordinates shared ride services in all 67 state counties through local CTCs. Eligible riders are defined as “persons who because of physical or mental disability, income status, or age are unable to transport themselves or purchase transportation.”

Participants in the new service must first be qualified by their county’s CTC or through TD Tampa Bay. Those who are will then be eligible for UZURV’s on-demand and scheduled ambulatory and wheelchair accessible rides seven days a week – 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekends. A multilingual call center and rider app will be provided for participants to schedule rides. The CTD grant will finance most expenses, with riders paying a flat $6 fee per trip, regardless of the destination.

“TBARTA’s regional transit mission, combined with UZURV’s proven expertise in providing TD service, makes this a great team,” Green said. “We thank the Florida CTD for giving us this opportunity and look forward to coordinating TD Tampa Bay with each county’s CTC.”

The TBARTA – UZURV team is now developing program details for each county, with information on how to sign-up, qualify, and schedule rides to be posted later in November at www.TDTampaBay.com. For more information on TD Tampa Bay and other TBARTA initiatives, contact Chris Jadick, TBARTA Communications Director, at 813-639-7743, or Chris.Jadick@Tbarta.com