Missouri City’s new public transportation service for residents is expected to launch Aug. 26, according to city staff.

This community connector service will be provided to the city by Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, spanning the north side of the city at Fondren Road and south to Hwy. 6, Assistant City Manager Scott Elmer said. It will provide public transportation within city limits as well as connecting to existing Park & Ride METRO facilities that serve the Texas Medical Center and downtown Houston destinations.

“It’s different than what they call a fixed route bus service,” Elmer said. “With a community connector service, people could actually call the METRO bus…and make an appointment to be picked up at their home and be brought to certain areas of the city and be picked up in that area at a specific time and then brought back to their home.”

The service radius encompasses regions along the Texas Parkway corridor, Lake Olympia Parkway, Colonial Lakes Drive and Cartwright Road, Elmer said.

“We’re going for the higher density areas of the city,” he said. “That includes portions of Quail Valley and portions of Hwy. 6 and FM 1092—that shopping area.”

The new service is expected to operate 14 hours each day, seven days a week for a bus fare of $1.25 one way, according to METRO documents.

Unlike neighboring cities of Pearland and Sugar Land, Missouri City has paid METRO 1 percent of its total 8.25 percent sales tax for many years, receiving public transportation services, City Manager Anthony Snipes said.

“Until most recently, our 1 [percent] was being paid to METRO, but now 50 percent of that 1 [percent] goes to infrastructure-related projects while the other 50 percent goes to METRO,” Snipes said.

Specific service routes may change depending upon user feedback after the program’s initial launch, said Cory Stottlemyer, media relations specialist for Missouri City.