The Woodlands Township will make an application to the Houston-Galveston Area Council to purchase as many as 32 new buses for its park and ride program. If selected, the township will be responsible for paying for 20 percent of the cost of however many buses are available for purchase. The remaining 80 percent of the cost will be paid through Federal Transportation Administration money.

The township is considering purchasing and owning at least some buses for its park and ride program. Township General Manager Don Norrell said the cost to the township for the program is about $208 per hour per bus. That cost is paid for by user fees. That cost would decrease to about $162 per hour per bus the township owns, Norrell said.

Norrell said the total cost of a new bus is about $550,000, while the township's cost, under the 20 percent local match model, would be about $110,000.

Township director Mike Bass said it was unlikely they would be approved for all 32 because other agencies were also making an application. The Woodlands Express park and ride service makes about 190,000 trips per year and services about 1,600 people living both in and out of The Woodlands, township transportation director Chris LaRue said.