Historic Ybor City streetcar faces budget challenges
In the heart of Ybor City, public transit officials are deciding whether or not to bring back fare fees to the TECO streetcar.
The historic railway has been facing a budget shortfall due to state and local funding drying up.
Hillsborough area regional transit authority officials are compiling data after polling residents on potential funding sources.
“There was always a contribution from the city and the Department of Transportation (DOT) and so now that the DOT money is gone, there is a gap that needs to be made up,” Justin Willits, HART director of planning and scheduling, said.
According to HART’s data, the streetcar had over one-point three million riders in their 2023 fiscal year. Officials say they gauged public opinion through online surveys and holding a public hearing.
“We feel that we’ve- are already contributing a lot and there’s a lot of riders that are that come in that don’t pay anything,” Jeff Jankiewicz, hearing attendee, said.
Jankiewicz says there’s a line in his property tax for the streetcar which currently doesn’t have a value. However, he is worried it may get one soon. He suggests increasing revenue by charging more for the ads in and on the streetcars.
“When you implement a fare, the ridership will drop. So, our estimated impact of a fare… depending on what level it’s set at… is anywhere from 30 to 50 percent drop,” Willits said.
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