Tampa International Adds New Airside Shuttles — what travelers need to know

# What changed at Tampa International Airport

Tampa International Airport (TPA) has put fresh automated shuttle cars into service on its Red and Blue airside lines serving Terminals A and C. The new vehicles are Innovia APM 300 R models and represent the third generation of TPA's automated people movers since the airport opened in 1971.

# What's new about the shuttles

The updated cars include several concrete, passenger-facing changes:

• Improved lighting inside the shuttle cars.
• New video information screens for passenger information.
• Doors equipped with obstacle detection.

On the infrastructure and systems side, TPA is the first airport in the world to pair its shuttles with Alstom's new proprietary operating system. The installation also includes new electrical running gear and concrete guideways designed for these cars.

# Where and when the upgrades will appear next

Terminal E is scheduled to receive the same shuttle upgrades, with work expected to be completed by the end of the year. TPA has also placed orders for additional cars intended for Terminals E and F in the future.

# Context for travelers

If you're flying into or connecting through TPA, expect a more modern ride between the Main Terminal and the airside satellite buildings served by the Red and Blue shuttles. The changes aim to improve the passenger experience through clearer onboard information and safer door operation.

The announcement comes alongside a separate recent operational change: TPA had trialed the TSA Gold+ program — a privatized TSA security model — earlier in the year, but the airport ended that program locally shortly before the U.S. government ended it nationwide.

# Practical takeaways for planning

• If you recall older shuttles at TPA, the new cars are an incremental technical and passenger-comfort upgrade rather than a wholesale reconfiguration of terminal layout.

# Bottom line

TPA has upgraded its automated people movers with Innovia APM 300 R cars, Alstom's new operating system, and infrastructure improvements. The work started in Terminals A and C and will continue to Terminal E this year, with additional cars ordered for E and F. These changes should make intra-terminal transfers smoother and provide clearer onboard information for passengers.