The Tampa Downtown Partnership has launched the Downtowner! This FREE service is on-demand and point-to-point. Rides are requested through an app, or hailed on the street. In its first month, the Downtowner served nearly 13,000 riders, and its drivers have covered over 7,840 miles.
In total, 12 six-passenger street-legal electric low speed vehicles (traveling on roads 35 mph or less), and includes one handicap accessible vehicle operate seven days a week within Downtown Tampa’s business district, Channel District, River Arts District, the University of Tampa area, as well as the non-gated north end of Harbour Island.
Because the service is technology-based, it appeals to the millennials moving into the urban center and who are accustomed to real-time access. “The app provides an opportunity to monitor its use, allowing us to adjust service so that we can prepare for busy times,” said Stephen Murray, Downtowner CEO and University of Tampa Alumni. “The goal is to keep wait times at 10 minutes or less.”
The Downtowner is made possible through the generous support from both the public and private sector. The MPO prioritized a federal grant that assists with its funding. The City of Tampa’s Downtown and Channel District Community Redevelopment Agency are key partners. Others include: FDOT, SPP/Lightning, Marriott Waterside, Hilton Tampa Downtown, Barrymore Riverwalk Hotel, Embassy Suites Tampa Downtown, Le Méridian Tampa, Park Tower, Bank of America Plaza, Tampa City Center, Franklin Exchange, Rivergate Tower, 100 N Tampa, Fifth Third Center, SunTrust Financial Center, and Two Harbour Place. Learn more.