Interview: Brad Miller, CEO

Brad Miller

CEO Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority

In August, the groundbreaking of the SunRunner BRT line occurred. What’s the timeline for that project?

The SunRunner BRT line was an incredible accomplishment. The Tampa Bay region’s first rapid transit line is finally under construction, after 30-plus years of talking about it. We’ve completed about five of the 30 stations along the line. 2021 will see most of the construction accomplished, we’ll get the vehicles delivered to us, and then we’ll start early next year with the rapid transit. We are hoping that this will all be a catalyst for expanding the system. From the one line we have now, we are hoping to expand across the whole Tampa Bay region and are looking forward to it being a very big success.

What are Tampa Bay’s plans for the autonomous vehicle (AVA) pilot program?

We’re very proud of our openness to new ideas and we’ve built our reputation on that. So, as of now, we have a driverless bus, a vehicle with no steering wheel, operating in our county. I think a lot of people didn’t think that would ever happen. AVA is really exposing the extent to which transportation is changing everywhere. It’s right in a big tourist area, right down on the waterfront, making it the most observed autonomous vehicle program in the entire country. People are loving it so far. All of that is what we wanted out of the pilot program and that is what we are getting out of it.

What are your near-term goals and priorities?

We’re always going to be focused on keeping our reputation for innovation and looking to the future, whatever that might bring. That means more work with the autonomous vehicles and ferry transportation. Also, we’re looking to be more sustainable, such as by tripling our electric bus fleet. We just placed an order for two more electric vehicles. We’re going to need more power, so we’re working on a solar panel project to power up our new electric fleet.

25 minutes is the mean travel time to work in Tampa Bay.

( ) coverage area (the counties of Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco and Pinellas). The overarching goals include a safe, sustainable and efficient regional transit system; securing sustainable funding sources and moving toward a seamless regional travel experience for all users.

Tampa Bay Next has a more localized focus, prioritizing safe and efficient means of transportation for both goods and people, creating meaningful opportunities for public input, balancing regional needs with community concerns and committing to sustainable infrastructure decisions. The program looks do develop a comprehensive and multimodal transportation system that includes interstate modernizations, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, transportation innovation, freight mobility, transit options and the development of complete streets, a policy committed to prioritizing the safety of the most vulnerable people who use the street in any and all future transportation projects.

In another important addition to Tampa Bay’s mass transit expansion, the Sunshine State awarded Tampa more than $67 million for the Tampa Streetcar