Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 29, 2018

The Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) is doing its part to get out the vote by offering free rides to Hillsborough County polling locations on Election Day. Voters can ride at no charge on all HART services, except for HARTPlus, the agency’s paratransit service. The “Roll to the Polls” promotion will run throughout the day on Tuesday, Nov. […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 24, 2018

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) Board of Directors on Wednesday unanimously approved a three-year contract with its employee union, increasing starting pay rates and lump sum compensation based on attendance. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) represents nearly 500 PSTA workers who carry out repairs, maintenance and operation of Pinellas County’s transit system. Ninety-five […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 3, 2018

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority won another $1 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to purchase two new electric buses for the agency’s fleet, St. Petersburg Congressman Charlie Crist announced Wednesday. The grant and purchase will bring PSTA’s fleet of all-electric buses to six by 2020. The announcement came during a ceremony on the […]

Drew WilsonMarch 7, 2018

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority said Wednesday its looking for volunteers to help test out the beta version of a new mobile ticketing app and smartcard system slated to roll out later this year. PSTA said use of the app, Flamingo Fares, and smartcards will cross county lines, with the transportation systems in Hernando, Hillsborough, […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 19, 2018

A transportation plan for the Tampa Bay area that would use bus rapid transit (BRT) and not rail to move riders from Wesley Chapel in Pasco County to downtown St. Petersburg was introduced to the public Friday. Called a “catalyst” project because of the hopes that it would jumpstart transit planning in the region, the […]

Mitch PerryAugust 26, 2016

Incoming Florida Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jack Latvala said Friday a lack of mass transit in the Tampa Bay area has become a bigger problem than ever, and he blasted his fellow Republicans in Tallahassee for failing to lead on the issue. “We’ve got a lot of folks in my party that just bury their head in the sand when […]

Mitch PerryAugust 25, 2016

During a radio debate Thursday, House District 68 Democrat Ben Diamond challenged what exactly his opponent, Eric Lynn has done in the community, while Lynn turned around to question Diamond’s independence when it comes to the insurance industry. Those two exchanges came toward the conclusion of a 38-minute debate on Tampa radio station WMNF 88.5 this afternoon, when the […]

Mitch PerryJune 29, 2016

Perhaps the first thing to know about the three candidates vying to become the next state representative of House District 68 in Pinellas County is that none of them awoke on New Year’s Day this year with the dream of winning this seat. Republican JB Bensmihen spent most of 2015 preparing to run against Democrat Lois Frankel in Florida’s 22nd […]

Anne LindbergJune 6, 2016

A committee for the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority has recommended that RSA Consulting Group become the next state lobbyist for the county’s bus system. But the proposed deal comes with a string attached: Lobbyist Alan Suskey must be part of the contract. For the two — RSA and Suskey — the PSTA will pay up to $7,500 a month […]

Mitch PerryDecember 7, 2015

(UPDATED) Last week President Obama signed into law the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act or FAST Act, a $305 billion transportation bill that will provide the state of Florida with $890 million more than it would have gotten under current funding formulas — and about $12 billion overall. “What will be most relevant for us in this bill is it will […]

Tag: PSTA

Hillsborough transit agency to offer free rides to the polls on Election Day

Pinellas Transit to raise wages for union workers

St. Pete and PSTA unveil first electric bus in Tampa Bay

Local transit agencies seeks testers for mobile app, smartcard system

Rapid transit plan – Wesley Chapel to St. Pete – gets unveiled

Jack Latvala says his GOP colleagues have their ‘heads in the sand when it comes to transportation’

Ben Diamond and Eric Lynn confront each during WMNF radio debate

House District 68 candidates show little difference on the issues in Tiger Bay forum

RSA Consulting, Alan Suskey likely to be next PSTA lobbyists

FAST Act means more money for Florida transit agencies’ buses