New PSTA 'Spark' Bus Service Connects South St. Pete to Downtown and Beach

Launch of the Spark Bus Service

• 🚀 The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) has launched Spark, a new high-frequency express bus service.
• 📍 This service connects South St. Petersburg, including Eert College, to downtown St. Petersburg and St. Pete Beach.

Route and Schedule Details

• ⚡ The electric express bus operates daily along 34th Street South from Eert College to Grand Central Station.
• ⏰ Buses run every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes during early mornings and late nights, from 5:00 a.m. to midnight.
• 🗺️ Spark aims to improve transit access, shelters, and sidewalks along its route, fulfilling master plan needs.

Benefits for Students and Community

• 🎓 Students from Eert College, Gibbs High School, and Panellis Technical College ride for free.
• 💰 This provides an affordable transportation option for students to reach downtown, internships, and jobs, avoiding expensive ride-sharing costs.
• 🤝 PSTA views Spark as a symbol of innovation, equity, and community partnerships, building on the success of the Sunrunner service.

Station Upgrades and Funding

• 💡 Eighteen Spark stations have been upgraded with new shelters, improved lighting, and digital screens displaying real-time bus information.
• 💰 An FDOT grant contributed over $1 million towards the operational costs of the new service.