FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 1st, 2023 

This Spring Break, Get to Popular Destinations Faster and for Free!

PSTA launches Spring Break Service to Clearwater Beach & SunRunner connects St. Pete Beach to the 'Burg

Pinellas County, FL - With spring break season underway, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) is helping locals and visitors get to some of the county’s most popular destinations, including our world-class beaches, faster, and for free! 

“Hundreds of thousands of spring breakers head to Florida every year,” said Brad Miller, Chief Executive Officer of PSTA. “We’re going to have two different free services, in two different parts of the county, running at a high frequency. We want to make it easier for visitors get around town, while also helping locals avoid the frustration of having to find a parking spot at award-winning beaches, downtown St. Pete, and destinations in between.” 

PSTA is once again partnering with the City of Clearwater for its Spring Break Service which provides free parking seven days a week from March 1 through April 30. Anyone can park for free Monday through Thursday, every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

 Friday to Sunday, every 15 minutes from 10 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and until 10 p.m. on Sundays.

Park for free any day of the week at the former Clearwater City Hall location,

112 S. Osceola Ave., and board for free there, at the Clearwater Beach Transit Center or the Clearwater Beach Marina. Return service to the parking lot boards at the Clearwater Beach Marina, 25 Causeway Blvd. in Clearwater.

Additional parking is available Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the following

locations:

·      450 Oak Avenue

·      440 Court St.

·      310 Court Street (County Garage) - available after 6 p.m.  

New this spring break, PSTA’s SunRunner will be taking riders between St. Pete Beach and downtown St. Pete for free. Following its successful launch in October of 2022, the Tampa Bay region’s first-of-its-kind Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service continues to attract new riders and increase community sentiment for public transportation. Ridership has exceeded 260,000 passengers, with each month showing a growth in ridership.

“People are really seeing the benefits of the SunRunner and taking advantage of it because the service is so easy to use and convenient. You just hop on and off for free,” added Miller. “We have restaurants, museums, shops, and of course beaches along the route. Our visitors and residents can make a whole day of it without ever having to worry about finding parking and paying for it.”

For more information about the hours and locations for the Spring Break Service, click here. Route information and other details about the SunRunner can be found here.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Stephanie Weaver

PSTA Communications & Public Relations Manager  

O: (727) 540-1853 | C: (727) 249-6542

E: Sweaver@psta.net

ABOUT PINELLAS SUNCOAST TRANSIT AUTHORITY

Since 1903, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) serves as the premier public transit provider for Pinellas County, Florida’s most densely populated county. The SunRunner, Tampa Bay’s first-ever Bus Rapid Transit service, provides a reliable, car-free option from downtown St. Pete and St. Pete Beach. With 41 fixed-route bus routes, two express routes to downtown Tampa, the Suncoast Beach trolley, Jolley Trolley and Looper and their paratransit service Access, PSTA provides 10.2 million rides annually. For more information about PSTA, visit www.psta.net