A goal of the Hillsborough MPO Long Range Transportation Plan is to promote the accessibility and mobility options available to people. Hillsborough County has a diverse and ever changing population with mobility needs that differ by age, ability, income and geographic location. The achievement of this important goal calls for a transportation system that integrates all modes of transportation and makes them convenient to the users of the transporation system.

The stories below were created to show the kinds of people whose quality of life might benefit from premium transit options in Hillsborough County.

Have a transportation idea or suggestion you would like to share? Let us know. More>

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Young Family

"When we started our family, my husband and I chose to live in the suburbs. The cost of housing in areas closer to work were more than we could afford. A development in a new community on the outskirts of town offered us more house for the money. What we didn’t fully consider, though, was the extra time and expense of commuting the longer distance every day.

When gas prices spiked, our family budget was really squeezed. It turned out that the cost of driving exceeded the amount we paid for housing."

"If transit service was more convenient, we could sell one car and still maintain our mobility and quality of life."

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Business Traveler

“I fly into Tampa often for meetings at our corporate headquarters. Usually, I stay over-night, attend meetings and take the early evening flight home. A downtown hotel puts me close to everything I need. I can get a bite afterward with co-workers and, if I’m lucky, catching a Lightening game. Everything I need is pretty much within walking distance. Overall, the conditions are pretty perfect for the business traveler, except for the part where I drive the rental car back to the airport. I always catch rush hour traffic."

“It would be great to catch a train to downtown from TIA, like the light rail system I use in Portland.”

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Elderly Couple

"My wife and I are long retired and live primarily on our social security income. We own our small townhome on the outskirts of Tampa and our grown children are a 60 minute drive away. I care for my wife who suffers from a degenerative disease. Between the two of us, there are numerous doctor appointments that we go to through the week. I also run errands just about every day. My worsening vision makes driving more of a challenge and heavy traffic on the roads makes me afraid to drive. I love our home and our community, but getting out is becoming so difficult that we only leaving the house to do the bare minimum."

"If we had a better way to get to around, we could get out of the house more to get the things we need, maybe socialize with others more often."

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Military Employee

“The reason I chose to live in Ybor City was directly a result of its proximity to downtown and the streetcar. I’ve lived in cities with rail transit, like Chicago and Washington, D.C., so I'm very familiar with the benefits of public transit in its many forms. I would definitely be a patron of a transit system that could lift me out of traffic and take me to work and back more efficiently.

The way I see it, an integrated mass transit system is integral to having vibrant and dynamic places. Tampa has the potential to be an even greater city. We can’t allow our communities to be held back by traffic congestion.”

“The roads are full and the County is still growing. Why don't we start now connecting the places we live and work with transit?"

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Young Professional with a Disability

“I recently returned to the Tampa Bay area after attending college in the Northeast. I grew up in Hillsborough County and my family lives here, so home is where I chose to start my career. However, leaving a the northeast where there are many transportation choices was an especially difficult decision for me since I have a physical disability and don't drive. It was a quite a challenge to find an affordable residence and an employer in locations that are highly accessible by transit. It took some time and energy but I was fortunate to find both in Ybor City. I wonder sometimes about what would happen if I wanted to change jobs. Will great opportunities be out of reach because I don't drive a car?

“Driving is not an option for me.”

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Soccer Mom

"My family and I live in Citrus Park because we love the community, the schools are very good and shopping is fairly close-by. Still, everything is pretty spread-out, and it takes me at least 15 to 20 minutes to drive to most of my destinations. Let me tell you, the time can really add up. My husband and I both work full-time, so it’s a challenge getting the kids to all their activities after we leave work. Traffic can be so unpredictable, which can be very stressful when you need to be places on-time.

My sister, who lives in Charlotte, leads a similar life to mine but she does’t drive as much as I do. She says the park ‘n ride garage is close to her house, the trains are timely, and the ride grants her a moment of peace at the starting or end of her busy work day."

“If the transportation system was more predictable, I could have less stress in my life."

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College Graduate

“I’ve been successful in my studies at USF so with graduation approaching, I have some good offers on the table from top employers in other cities. My parents would like me to take the offer from a Tampa company so I can remain close to home. I like it here but am intrigued by the idea of city living with vibrant, dynamic places, diversity and culture and other young professionals like myself. The way Tampa's Channel District is emerging, I could see it becoming that kind of place . But to afford even a little place there, I would need a really nice salary. I could pay more for housing if I didn't have car expenses. In Channelside, I could use the streetcar to get to work and Ybor, my bike to visit friends and the bus to get to the malls. Someday, a rail connection could take me out of town to Orlando and St. Petersburg.

The city I'll choose to live and work in has to have great places and transportation options that make great places possible, like walkable streets, bike lanes, buses and rail transit."

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