Officials with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County shared a news release Sept. 22 highlighting new expansions and services available to all transit riders.
The improvements span METROLift, curb2curb and Community Connector.
METROLift
Changes to METROLift, an Americans with Disabilities Act transit service, include new technology, vehicles and travel options. Technology upgrades include a new automated scheduling option that will allow customers to make next-day reservations, while the "Where is My Ride" assistance will provide customers with updated trip information.
Additional upgrades include allowing self-service booking for METROLift SameDay Feeder trips. Officials also noted that new vans and minivans will begin to replace aging vehicles and increase capacity during periods of high demand.
Curb2Curb
A new route was announced for the curb2curb service, an on-demand, ADA-accessible neighborhood rideshare service. The 347 Gulfton On Demand Service Zone began operating daily from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. for residents in the Gulfton community.
METRO officials are also launching a new Transportation Network Company (TNC) to help provide additional capacity for users during periods of high demand, according to the release.
Community Connector
The transit authority's electric micro-transit rideshare service known as the Community Connector will become a permanent part of the transit network after officials saw a 64% increase in ridership.
The Connector network will now see:
expanded hours Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
new climate-controlled vehicles
dedicated ADA wheelchair-accessible minivans
improved connections to the broader METRO system
The Community Connector will also be integrated into the METRO ON Demand app for real-time trip planning, per the release. Beginning Sept. 28, the service will transition to the transit authority's standard $1.25 fare.
Quote of note
“Our customers have evolving mobility needs, and these improvements are about giving them more options and making our services easier to use,” METRO Board Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock said in the news release. “That means we are optimizing services, introducing new technology and providing better connections to the rest of our system.”
