PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Starting next week, Pinellas drivers will see buses driving on the shoulder of Interstate 275 as part of the “Bus-On-Shoulder” pilot program.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority is launching the program on June 6.

The goal is to help with travel times and make the bus a more appealing option for people who commute from Pinellas to Hillsborough County every day.

“We think it's going to help the timeliness of that bus, and make it truly an express service where you're not sitting with the cars in traffic,” said Pat Gerard, PSTA Board Chairwoman.

The 100x route already runs on I-275 during rush hour traffic, but now, if traffic isn’t moving, it can drive on the shoulder.

PSTA worked with FDOT to reinforce the shoulder along the route. The buses are allowed to go 15 MPH faster than traffic in the shoulder, up to 35 MPH.

Chairwoman Gerard said bypassing traffic does make this route more appealing.

“Driving in Pinellas County is not going to get better,” she said. “We're becoming a very crowded, urban area and people already spend an average of about 100 hours a year in their cars sitting in traffic.

“I don't know about you, but I don't want to do that anymore, and hopefully people are looking for alternatives.”

PSTA officials warn drivers: Troopers will be on the lookout for any cars that try to get behind the buses on the shoulder, and those drivers will be ticketed.