"Dump the Pump" this Thursday and Ride HART

With the continued fluctuation of gas prices, the Hillsborough Area Transit Authority (HART) will join public transportation agencies across the country by participating in the 11th Annual "National Dump the Pump Day" on Thursday, June 16, 2016. 

HART is inviting passengers to show their support of public transit by taking a picture of themselves whether it is riding the bus, carpooling, walking, biking or even telecommuting! Upload a photo of yourself showing how you dumped the pump to social media with the hashtag #DumpThePump.

"By participating in Dump the Pump Day, we are welcoming new riders and thanking our regular riders who choose to ride HART everyday," said Katharine Eagan, HART CEO. "Taking transit saves money on gas, wear and tear on a vehicle, relieves traffic congestion, creates cleaner air and gives you extra time to text or just relax."

Help spread the word about the many benefits of riding public transportation.

Some Quick Facts:

Public Transportation provides economic opportunities, drives community growth and revitalization

• Public transportation offers individuals access to jobs.
• Nearly 60 percent of the trips taken on public transit are work commutes.
• Every $1 billion invested in public transportation supports and creates more than 50,000 jobs.
• Residential property values performed 42 percent better on average if they were located near public transportation with high-frequency service.

Saving fuel, time and money

Riding public transportation is an economical way to save money. The latest APTA Transit Savings Report shows that a two person household that downsizes to one car can save - on the average - more than $9,377 a year. Access to the HART transit system gives people transportation to commute to work, go to school, and travel to medical appointments and other appointments.

"Public transit also relieves the hassles and expenses of finding and paying for parking, dealing with auto maintenance and repairs, and negotiating traffic," said Sandra Morrison, HART public information officer. "HART is definitely the way to travel throughout Hillsborough County and we hope commuters will get onboard and experience all that we have to offer."

Environmental Benefits

Public transportation systems help to create a healthier environment by reducing pollutants and greenhouses gases. Research from APTA shows that public transportation reduces carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons and saves the equivalent of 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline in the United States annually. Locally, HART provided more than 14,900,000 trips in fiscal year 2015.