Tara Hubbard, CEO, Hubbard’s Ferry

June 2026 — Invest: sat down with Tara Hubbard, CEO of Hubbard’s Ferry, to discuss how the region’s revived ferry service is moving from a pilot era into a long-term, transit-led model. Hubbard walked through the contract reset that ended the Cross Bay Ferry pilot, the shift that positioned the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) as the public operator, and why that partnership changed the game for the region. “It marks a shift in how Tampa Bay approaches waterborne mobility,” Hubbard said.

What key changes over the past year have most impacted Tampa Bay Ferry, and in what ways?

A lot changed in a short period of time. Over the past year, the Cross Bay Ferry pilot came to an end. It was positioned as a pilot project, and the prior operator ran into financial challenges. They planned to bring a slower vessel to the region to operate the service, which violated the terms of the agreement with both Tampa and St. Petersburg. The City of Tampa ultimately voted to dissolve the contract, and the Cross Bay Ferry ended in April 2025.

At the same time, that contract was going to expire anyway, with a termination point in 2025. So, ahead of that, PSTA had been preparing for the possibility of stepping in to operate the route, partnering with a private company to run the service day to day.

That pivot started with a moment that happened in the St. Petersburg Area Chamber’s boardroom. I chair the Chamber’s Transportation Committee, so I’m in those meetings. Early in 2025, PSTA shared that HART, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, was going to let a $4.8 million federal grant go back to the government. The grant had been awarded for another ferry concept that never moved forward. PSTA’s point was essentially, “We’re not going to buy a boat,” and the money would return to the feds.

Someone in the room raised their hand and asked, “Why?” That question changed everything. It set off a chain of events that pushed PSTA to rethink what was possible and to consider owning a vessel as part of a broader, public transit strategy.

From there, PSTA moved quickly. In August, they issued the RFP for private operators, inviting proposals to run the service under this new model. We submitted a bid, received the intent to award in September 2025, and shortly thereafter, the board voted to approve the contract.

For the region, the significance looks bigger than one route. It marks a shift in how Tampa Bay approaches waterborne mobility. For waterborne transportation to be viable, we’re going to need that larger partnership with the transit authority. We have experienced false starts in the past where a private operator had to negotiate independently with each municipality, and the process got weighed down by requirements that didn’t match how transit actually works. A public transit authority can cut through that complexity, align funding and planning, and make the service consistent and scalable. This year created the foundation for what we believe can be a long-term system, not just a pilot.

How will partnerships influence operations, funding, and the long-term vision for the Tampa Bay Ferry?

Tampa Bay is special in how willing the region is to collaborate. There is a real “rising tides lift all boats” mindset in Pinellas County and across the broader market. You feel it in conversations with local governments, chambers, economic development groups, and civic partners.

PSTA is a perfect example of why that matters. Brad Miller, the CEO, is open to new ideas and willing to move with urgency. In January 2025, this concept was still just an idea, and within a matter of months, the region worked through the structure, procurement process, and approvals needed to move toward a real operating model. For a public entity, that kind of timeline is unusual.

That speed is not just about process — it is about trust and alignment. Public-private partnerships are where some of the best outcomes can happen in transportation. The public side brings regional planning, access, funding pathways, and long-term accountability. The private side brings operational expertise, flexibility, and execution. When those strengths are aligned, you can build something durable and do it faster.

We have also been encouraged by the public response. In many markets, transit projects face skepticism. Funding decisions are scrutinized, and transit is often one of the first things people question when budgets tighten. Here, the reaction has been the opposite. People have been asking, “Can you start now?” “Can you start tomorrow?” That energy matters because ridership, community buy-in, and political support all reinforce each other.

Long term, the partnership sets the stage for a broader vision. This is not only about getting between downtown St. Petersburg and downtown Tampa. We are trying to help build Tampa Bay into a region where waterborne transit is normal, reliable, and integrated, the way it should be in a waterfront market with growth pressures and congestion constraints.

How are you approaching talent attraction and workforce development as the service expands?

Our perspective is a little nuanced because we are a legacy maritime company in the region. We are coming up on a major milestone. In three years, we will be celebrating our centennial, 100 years in operation here. That local history gives us an advantage in recruiting and retention because people know who we are, they know we are rooted here, and they know we are committed to the community.

We have been fortunate when it comes to workforce attraction. Our team is growing. We crossed 100 team members this year, and with the ferry development ahead, we expect that number to increase.

Since the announcement, I have received multiple texts, emails, and introductions from people asking how they can be part of it. That says a lot about how much the community wants this to succeed.

We are also excited about what this means for local talent. One difference with the prior operator was that they brought much of their workforce from outside Florida. Our intent is to build locally. We want to uplift local mariners, customer service professionals, and operations staff. That matters culturally, but it also matters operationally, because local teams build institutional knowledge and long-term reliability.

As we scale, we are building within an ecosystem. Over time, our organization has grown into a group of connected businesses that support each other, including marine maintenance, fabrication, and related operations. That structure helps us train people, retain expertise, and respond quickly to the real-world needs of running vessels and passenger service.

How are you engaging with local communities and stakeholders across Tampa Bay?

It is new and exciting. The contract has only been official for a short time, but we have been working on community engagement for months. We wanted to respect the process and not overpromise before approvals were final.

Now that it is official, we can be more direct. Much of our early engagement has focused on local vendors and the rider experience. Even small decisions, such as how the concession offering is stocked, become opportunities to feature local businesses. We have been thinking about local coffee, bakeries, beverages, and ways to make the ferry feel like a true extension of Tampa Bay.

We have also leaned into the community’s enthusiasm. A Tampa Bay fan went viral last year on TikTok saying the old Cross Bay Ferry was the best pregame in the region. I reached out and told him he was now the official ferry ambassador. Those moments build identity and loyalty, and they help a transit service become something people choose, not just something they tolerate.

From an operational standpoint, our approach is shaped by our background. We already run other public-private partnerships, including a service that takes passengers to local islands and nature preserves with Pinellas County. That work is more tourism-focused. This service is transit, which means accessibility, frequency, reliability, and consistency must come first.

That is where the partnership with PSTA is powerful. PSTA understands transit riders and regional accessibility. Our strength is delivering a high-quality passenger experience. During the RFP process, we were told we were one of the only proposers who truly centered the user experience. Combining that perspective with PSTA’s transit expertise allows us to deliver a service that is accessible and enjoyable.

What are your key goals and priorities for the next two to three years?

First is launching a successful service. We want to start strong and build confidence quickly. Reliability is essential. People need to trust that the ferry will run consistently and predictably, and that the experience will be comfortable and well-managed.

Second is building a broader waterborne transit vision. Once the St. Petersburg to Tampa route is operating successfully, the opportunity becomes regional. We want to work with PSTA, chambers, economic development councils, and tourism partners to think in terms of a network, not a single route.

The St. Petersburg Area Chamber commissioned a waterborne feasibility study with the MPO, Forward Pinellas, last year, and this study has provided data and direction to move from interest to action.

Communities like South Tampa have already been vocal about the need for connectivity. Over the next two to three years, we want to move toward those connections, grow the fleet, and pursue competitive federal grants that support expansion.

Sustainability is also a priority. Right now, we are working within limited grant structures, so we are making practical equipment choices. As the service proves itself and regional support grows, we want to move toward a greener fleet and position Tampa Bay as a leader in modern waterborne transit.

Ultimately, the goal is to establish a reliable, integrated ferry service that demonstrates what is possible when the region aligns. If we do that, growth becomes a natural next step, and Tampa Bay can finally realize the waterborne transit potential it has talked about for years.