Bill passes through Senate committee to dissolve Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – The Florida Senate Committee on Transportation passed a bill to dissolve the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority on Tuesday.

TBARTA was formed in 2007 to advance regional transportation needs in Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco and Pinellas County.

Republican Sen. Nick DiCeglie, who sponsored the legislation, said the authority “lost its vision” and “was really just not able to carry out its mission.”

DiCeglie said all stakeholders are in agreement to dissolve TBARTA. In addition, he said on Jan. 20, 2022, the executive board voted unanimously to move forward with the dissolution of TBARTA.

“As someone who was in the house when this entity was created, there was great expectations that this body would dramatically improve the Tampa Bay mobility initiatives […] They’ve had 16 years to try to figure out a plan and that plan has never come to fruition,” Republican Sen. Ed Hooper said.

Hooper explained there is an entity called the Tampa Bay partnership, that performs some of the same functions.

“So it’s not like we’re going to just not worry about transportation, mobility, throughout the region we will be fine. Please support – it’s a good bill,” Hooper said.

WUSF News reported lack of agreement among the five counties involved, along with a lack of funding, contributed to TBARTA’s failure.

“I think the idea of an agency like TBARTA was a good one, it just wasn’t set up to succeed. We’ll see what the future holds and how Tampa Bay decides to address our regional transit needs, but the days of solving them through TBARTA seem to have run their course,” TBARTA Executive Director David Green previously said.

DiCeglie said the dissolving of TBARTA would only effect two employees. TBARTA’s executive director and director of accounting will receive 20 weeks of severance pay, according to Bay News 9.

The committee passed the bill unanimously.