Sunrunner Bus Rapid Transit System Receives More Federal Funding

ST. PETE BEACH, FL — U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) presented another $1.2 million grant to Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority to develop the SunRunner Bus Rapid Transit project during a groundbreaking ceremony Monday.

The train-like bus system will feature nine buses and 31 stations. The state-of-the-art buses with free wi-fi will run in a dedicated traffic-free lane from St. Petersburg to St. Pete Beach and South Pasadena, reducing travel times for commuters and beach goers to under 35 minutes.

Provided by the Department of Transportation’s Buses and Bus Facilities Grant Program. the $1.2 million will be used to upgrade and replace Pinellas’ bus fleet and construct new bus stations and facilities.

In May, President Donald Trump announced the new PTSA bus system had been awarded $21.8 million, the largest amount of money ever in the public transportation history of the Tampa Bay region.

See related story: Trump Announces $21.8M In Funding For Pinellas Beaches Bus Plan

“I'm proud to announce yet another grant to support PSTA’s important work for the people of Pinellas, signifying key investments being made at the federal level to improve the lives of the residents of our community,” Crist said. “From my seat on the Appropriations Committee, I know how important federal dollars are for strengthening our public transit to keep folks going to where they need to go.”

The Sunrunner Bus Rapid Transit project will be the first of its kind in Tampa Bay, according to Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority CEO Brad Miller. It also is the largest single capital investment in public transportation in the history of the Tampa Bay region, he said.

Eventually, the Bus Rapid Transit system is part of a 41-mile plan connecting downtown St. Petersburg to the Pinellas Beaches, downtown Tampa, Tampa International Airport, the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida and Wesley Chapel.

"With these federal dollars, this state-of-the-art project will finally become a reality," Crist said. "The new BRT line will increase accessibility to the beaches for tourists, hospitality industry and other workers, and take more cars off the roads. I look forward to its completion and a new way of moving Pinellas forward."

Stops will be limited and riders will have to prepay to use the service. The buses will have no steps that prevent wheelchairs from easily boarding the buses. And the buses will be able to turn traffic signals to green allow them to drive through intersections unimpeded.

Buses will run every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes on evenings starting at 6 a.m. and ending at midnight.

The estimated total price tag is $43.93 million.

The PSTA plans to have the line up and running some time next year.

Last week, Crist announced the award of a $40.3 million grant to PSTA to keep mass transit running during the coronavirus pandemic. The award comes from funding provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, distributed by the Federal Transit Administration.

“Keeping our public transit system up and running during the pandemic is critical to our economy, getting people who rely on these services where they need to go,” Crist said. “This grant will keep PSTA workers on the job and provide special aid for our neighbors with disabilities who cannot use fixed route services."