Traffic & Transit
PSTA Considers SunRunner Bus Expansion: Report
The PSTA is considering expanding the new SunRunner bus service, which runs from downtown St. Pete to the beaches, reports said.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The new SunRunner, a 10.3-mile bus rapid transit system that travels back and forth between downtown St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach, is poised for an expansion just months after it launched, according to reports.
Because the service, which launched Oct. 21, was completed under budget, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is left with $5.3 million in federal funds for the project. PSTA officials are considering using the money to add a new stop near the St. Pete Pier, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
The new stop would need to be approved by both the PSTA board and the Federal Transit Administration before work can begin on it, according to WFTS.
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A stop at St. Pete Pier would better connect riders with the nearby Cross Bay Ferry to downtown Tampa and downtown St. Petersburg’s waterfront destinations.
The SunRunner, with service every 15 minutes at peak times, will be free for riders during its first six months in service, through April of this year.
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The bus system attracted 10,000 riders during its first four days in operation in October and more than 63,500 riders in its first 30 days, according to PSTA.
During December, the SunRunner saw more than 80,000 riders, according to the Times.
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