Wheel deal: Streetcar service gets a big boost

Downtown Tampa residents and workers now have a car-free, no-cost way to get around town thanks to a $2.7 million Florida Department of Transportation grant that eliminates fares for the 2.7-mile, 11-stop TECO Line Streetcar System — which connects downtown Tampa with the Channel District and Ybor City — for the next three years.

The funding will also allow the streetcar’s operator, Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), to offer expanded and more frequent service. To cater to downtown workers, the streetcar will pick up passengers every 15 minutes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and then every 20 minutes thereafter.