PSTA Opens New Downtown SunRunner Station, Expands Night Service
A new SunRunner stop opened in St. Petersburg’s downtown area on Jan. 10, 2025. The station was built at a key location between 2nd and 1st Streets along 1st Avenue North. Construction finished $5 million under budget. Transit leaders quickly used those savings to add three buses to their expanding fleet. At the ribbon-cutting, officials announced “SunRunner After Dark.” This new night service adds more buses on weekends, running every 15 minutes until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
This key transit route puts thousands within easy reach of their jobs. Running through Florida’s busiest county, it connects major business centers and neighborhoods. “This station fills in the missing piece and brings riders just steps away from our businesses. It’s how many of our employees get to work and customers get around downtown St. Petersburg,” local business owner Chuck Prather said to St. Pete Rising at the event.
March saw record ridership, with over 115,000 people using the service. Major city events filled the buses, pushing daily numbers above 10,000. Weekend festivals and street races brought the biggest turnouts yet. “SunRunner’s colorful, efficient buses and beautiful bus stops have literally transformed our community,” said Brad Miller, CEO, PSTA to Mass Transit Magazine. “There are fewer vehicles on the road, more people attending events, eating out, shopping at local businesses. SunRunner is truly improving our quality of life and helping drive our economy.
Passengers now enjoy elevated platforms, improved street crossings, and speedy ticket purchases. Digital displays show real-time bus arrivals. St. Pete Pride brought the highest ridership on June 22, 2024. Halloween events and Grand Prix races also filled the buses.
A new study called SunRunner Rising outlines strategies to increase ridership. It examines city growth and equitable development across St. Petersburg and South Pasadena.