Love all of the new restaurants and museums downtown but hate the hassle of parking? Well Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority has a solution for that.

A new Looper service will make use of St. Pete’s trolley’s to provide a downtown transportation service that runs every 15 minutes 7 days a week. That service begins on October 7, 2018.

The Looper fleet also includes the Tampa Bay area’s first zero emission, all-electric bus that was unveiled in front of City Hall on October 3.

Free rides to the area’s best food and fun spots

Where does it the Looper service go? The service will make a complete loop between 5th Avenue Northeast and 6th Avenue South, and between Bayshore Drive Northeast and 5th Street. The vehicles will make 20 stops total along the route.

In 2017, PSTA was awarded $1 million from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to purchase two more electric buses scheduled to arrive in 2019.

At a special unveiling event, Congressman Crist announced the FTA has awarded PSTA a second grant to purchase two more buses bringing the electric fleet to six by 2020.

The million dollar service transforms St. Pete 

The $1.2 million E-Looper service is funded in partnership by the city of St. Petersburg, St. Pete Partnership, Florida Department of Transportation, and PSTA. The City of St. Petersburg contributes nearly $360,000 a year to the service.

The Looper service will operate from 7am-10pm Monday through Thursday, 7am-midnight Friday, 8am-midnight Saturday, 8am-10pm Sunday. More information can be viewed on PSTA’s website.