Survey Shows Strong Support for Increased Transit Investment in Tampa Bay

Findings from TBARTA’s Transit & Telework Survey conclude Tampa Bay residents want increased investment in regional transit and see TBARTA as a valuable contributor to addressing the regional transit needs of local government.

When asked if the Tampa Bay region would benefit from increased regional transit, regardless of the mode of transportation, 82% agreed or strongly agreed. By comparison, only 8% disagreed or strongly disagreed. The results are not surprising, as 65% rated Tampa Bay’s public transit systems as below or well below average.

Support for TBARTA was also favorable. When asked “How important is it for Florida to provide dedicated budget support to TBARTA in its work to expand regional transit across Tampa Bay,” 74% said funding of TBARTA was either extremely important or very important.

Survey respondents also see a strong connection between regional transit and economic prosperity. Eighty-four percent either agreed or strongly agreed when asked if increased regional transit would provide new opportunity for workers by making more jobs more accessible, while 80% either agreed or strongly agreed that new regional transit in Tampa Bay would benefit employers by increasing access to more employees.

Other topics included questions on telework and transit. A strong majority of employers and employees found telework that was brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic to be more productive than expected. As a result, future telework policies are expected to change. After the pandemic, 60% of employers say they will offer more telework opportunities than they did prior to the health crisis. Many employees agree, as 53% said they expect to have more telework opportunities than they did pre-COVID.

The 35-question survey was distributed across TBARTA’s five-county region during the first three months of the year, with 549 responses. Complete survey results are posted on TBARTA’s website.

Originally posted on Metro Magazine