Tampa streetcar kicks off expanded morning service

Tampa's TECO Line heritage streetcar system today began operating at 7 a.m. for commuters in downtown Tampa, the Channel District and the Ybor City neighborhood.

The expanded morning service is aimed at boosting the streetcar's service efficiency and improving access to jobs, according to a press release issued by the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART), which operates the TECO Line.

The added hours are part of a six-month pilot program to measure demand for morning service along the streetcar line. HART and Tampa Historic Streetcar Inc. will review ridership and costs following the pilot's end in March 2017.

"This is a golden opportunity to make the TECO Line Streetcar System service more convenient than ever before," said Katharine Eagan, HART's chief executive officer.