SYSTEM PLAN EXPANDED BUS SERVICE

We are expanding our existing bus service to more parts of the region.

The Project Connect system plan includes improvements to all of our current bus services: MetroBus, MetroRapid and MetroExpress. It would be built on our High-Frequency Network of MetroBus routes, which operate every 15 minutes, 7 days a week; include an all-electric bus fleet; expand MetroRapid from 2 routes to 7; and bring MetroExpress service to new parts of the region.

Learn what's included in Project Connect's Initial Investment.

Implementation

Certain projects are planned to be implemented on a 2- to 3-year time frame.

improved-faster-bus-service-more-amenities

Station Amenities

More covered stops to provide protection from the elements.

Faster Travel Times

Quicker and more reliable service.

Station Connectivity

More transportation options to get to and from stations.

More Capacity

Additional capacity allows us to move more people.

Safety

Crosswalk, sidewalk and bike facility improvements.

Low Cost

Projects that are easier to build and cost less to finish.

MetroRapid provides frequent service with a limited number of stops and faster travel times. Priority lanes, transit signal priority, queue jumps, enhanced and improved stations and higher frequency are all features of MetroRapid.

Corridors served:

Pleasant Valley
South Lamar
Menchaca
Parmer Lane

MLK
ACC Highland to Tech Ridge (along Cameron/Dessau)
Crosstown (on 7th Street)
Expo Center (from downtown and UT along Manor Road and Loyola Lane)

MetroExpress serves suburban Austin and neighboring communities with more 8 new routes between Park & Ride locations and major employment hubs such as the Capitol Complex, downtown and the 38th Street Medical District. In addition to the areas currently served by MetroExpress, Project Connect includes new MetroExpress service to other parts of the region, including Hutto, Bastrop, Lockhart, Buda and Oak Hill.

This includes partnering with the city of Austin and regional authorities to improve existing roadways.

Areas to be served:

Georgetown
Four Points
Oak Hill
South MoPac/Circle C
Buda

Hutto
Del Valle
Lockhart
Bastrop

Circulators let you connect to and from your final destination without driving.

There are a few ways we could provide a circulator service. It could include a vehicle that constantly runs on the same loop like CapMetro’s old downtown circulator, the Dillo. Another option may be similar to Pickup, which provides on-demand transit options from a customer’s home to anywhere they need to go within a specific service zone. Pickup currently operates in several Austin neighborhoods as well as Leander and Manor, too.

The Project Connect System Plan will make it easier for customers to access the transit system from where they live. Neighborhood Circulators help provide this hyperlocal connection for our customers. Sometimes that's to the store, a doctor's appointment or to a transit station that will that you the rest of the way.

MetroBus service is the backbone of the CapMetro system. We've invested to improve the customer experience in the past year, including more than 150 new bus shelters, solar-powered lighting to improve security, and advanced technology that provides customers with more accurate Next Departure information. MetroBus service is included in the Project Connect System Plan.

So, what does that look like?

All-electric bus fleet
Improved station amenities
Quicker and more reliable service
Increased rider capacity
Better pedestrian access and connections to neighborhoods
Improved safety for crosswalks, sidewalks and bicycle facilities
Integration with MetroBike

About “Initial Investment” & “System Plan”

Austin voters approved Proposition A, providing local funding of Project Connect's $7.1 billion on November 3, 2020. The Initial Investment is a portion of the System Plan, which will advance through development and be considered for both local and federal funding. Not all of the System Plan's elements are included in the Initial Investment.