Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
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| Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority | |
 |
|
| Locale | Austin, Texas |
|---|---|
| Transit type | Bus, Bus Rapid Transit, Light Rail |
| Began operation | 1986 |
| Number of stations | nine light rail stations |
| Daily ridership | 130,000[citation needed] |
| Operator(s) | CMTA |
| Fares collected | $4.6 M |
| Fuel cost | $6.7 M |
| Sales tax collected | $122.1 M |
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or Capital Metro, provides public transportation to the city of Austin, Texas, primarily by bus. In addition to serving Austin, Capital Metro also serves several suburbs in Travis and Williamson Counties.
More than 140,000 passenger trips are made everyday to more than 3,000 stops in 400 vehicles.[citation needed] In doing so, the agency boasts the highest ridership per capita in Texas and has experienced one of the fastest rates of growth of any major transit system in the nation.[citation needed]
Contents |
[edit] History
Capital Metro was approved in 1985 by the citizens of Austin with a one-cent sales tax. In 1986, the system was launched, taking over the existing city of Austin bus services.
In 1989, public perception was that too many buses were running virtually empty. The MTA tax was cut to 3/4 percent, and Capital Metro attempted to boost ridership by eliminating fares entirely. Although the program was wildly successful in attracting new riders, a perception created by a few in the media was that there were too many "problem riders" using the system. http://peopleformoderntransit.org/members/pmtadmin/home.nsf/e93baddc3ba8bf0a88256d42000f7a73/088168291f81678a88256d5100101f2d!OpenDocument |title = Fare-free Buses, The Austin Experience |accessdate = 2007-09-12 |work = People for Modern Transit }}</ref> Both of these footnoted references point exclusively to testimony by a former Capital Metro board member turned staffer, Lyndon Henry, whose assertions that ridership only increased by 10 percent of regular fixed-route riders, that operating expenses skyrocketed, and that vagrants drove away normal riders contradict documents from the period.[2]
Market research showed that "In only a couple of isolated instances are on-board safety or less than desirable passengers or anything else negatively attributed to the free fare program cited as reasons for discontinued use of bus service."[3] Despite the facts and widespread support -- general public approval of the fare-free program was 81%, even though 49% of respondents had never used Capital Metro services; among riders, it was 97% -- the political forces fearing the media farces reinstated fares in January 1991.
In response to the new ADA compliance rules passed in 1990, the system eventually became the first bus transit agency to have its entire bus fleet equipped with wheelchair ramps.
In 1993, it took over shuttle bus service for the University of Texas campus and expanded it to run to nearby apartment complexes off-campus that cater to university students. (By 2004, Capital Metro was collecting $5.2 million a year from student fees.[4]
In October 1995, Capital Metro's board of directors increased the MTA sales tax back to its original rate of one percent, promising to set aside the additional quarter percent for future projects. This brought the annual tax burden up to $349 per household.
In 1997, Capital Metro's board of directors was "reorganized" just ahead of a performance review by the Texas Comptroller.[5] The review cited "ongoing criminal investigation" by the FBI, "irresponsible management", "expensive, embarrassing mistakes", "dubious contracting and purchasing practices", $118,000 spent on "food, parties, and presents for its employees" and culminated with "We have never, in all of the performance reviews we have conducted, seen an agency with such a lack of accountability."[6]
In 2000, Capital Metro proposed spending $1.9 billion for a light rail system with 52 miles of track on existing streets. The referendum was narrowly defeated at the polls.[7]
In 2004, Capital Metro added a trip planner to its web site. Riders enter their intended origin and destination, along with optional time, date, and other information, and the trip planner displays itineraries showing the stops, departure and arrival times, and times to get from the origin to the destination.
In 2004, after four years of additional lobbying by Capital Metro, a commuter rail plan — to be built on pre-existing freight rail lines — won voter approval. Capital MetroRail's new rail line will run from Leander through northwest Austin and east Austin before terminating at a station on the southeastern edge of downtown Austin, at the location of the Austin Convention Center. It is scheduled for completion in 2008.
In September 2005 Stadler Rail won a bid to build six diesel-electric rail cars for the system.[8] Those six cars will carry up to 1000 commuters per trip, on five routes in the morning, five in the evening, with a handful of routes running during the midday. The initial cost for this rail line is $90 million dollars. [9]
[edit] Future projects
Capital Metro's operating budget has increased almost 60 percent over the past five years.[10] This generous funding supports future projects such as the high-tech MetroRapid bus rapid transit. Capital Metro plans to reduce congestion for MetroRapid riders in two ways. First, these buses will get signal priority; as they approach an intersection, traffic signals will automatically stop cross-traffic sooner (or longer) than the normal cycle.[11] Second, Capital Metro hopes to convert existing lanes into bus lanes (dubbed "near-term managed lane facilities") "to improve mobility". [12]
[edit] Customer service
Capital Metro has a customer service advisory committee which meets to provide feedback to the agency on how to continue improving service and facilities.
[edit] Fares
The fares for Capital Metro's services are as follows:
| One-way fare | Adults | Students* | UT students, faculty, and staff; senior citizens; children under six |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dillo (bus trolley) | Free | Free | Free |
| Metro, Flyer, UT Shuttle, Limited | $0.50 | $0.25 | Free |
| Express and Northwest Dial-A-Ride | $1.00 | $0.50 | Free |
* Students twelve and older may be required to show school ID to receive student fares.
[edit] Passes
Bus passes are available at the Capital Metro store and at area grocery shops.
[edit] Board of directors
Capital Metro is led by a board of five elected officials and two (appointed) members-at-large. The board is composed of two council members appointed by the Austin City Council; one commissioner appointed by the Travis County Commissioners' Court; one mayoral representative appointed by the mayors of the suburban cities of Travis County, within the service area; one representative appointed by a panel made up of the mayors of the suburban cities, the Williamson County Judge, and the presiding officer of each municipal utility district; and two members-at-large appointed by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
[edit] Member jurisdictions
- Austin
- Highland Lake Estates
- Jonestown
- Lago Vista
- Leander
- Manor
- San Leanna
- Anderson Mill area of Williamson County
- Precinct 2 of Travis County
The original jurisdictions of Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Rollingwood and West Lake Hills have withdrawn from Capital Metro.
Service to other areas in the Austin metropolitan area is provided by the Capital Area Rural Transportation System.
[edit] Bus routes
Capital Metro's fixed route bus service includes 54 metro routes, seven downtown circulator 'Dillo routes, seven Express routes and 20 UT shuttle routes. Capital Metro also offers 52 AISD school routes, van and carpooling coordination, shuttles to special events and special transit services for the elderly and disabled.
Routes and schedules effective thru August 12, 2007.
[edit] Metro routes
- 1L/1M-North Lamar/South Congress via Lamar/Metric
- 2-Rosewood
- 3-Burnet/Manchaca
- 4-Montopolis/18-Martin Luther King
- 5-Woodrow/26-Rosewood
- 6-East 12th
- 7-Duval/27-Dove Springs
- 9-Enfield/14-Travis Heights
- 10-South 1st/20-Manor Road
- 15-Red River/16-South 5th/Westgate
- 17-Johnston
- 19-Bull Creek
- 21-Exposition/22-Chicon
- 23-Johnny Morris
- 29-Barton Hills
- 30-Barton Creek/328-Ben White
- 37-Colony Park/Windsor Park
[edit] Flyer and Limited routes
- 100-Airport Flyer
- 101-North Lamar/Congress Ltd.
- 103-Manchaca Flyer
- 110-South Central Flyer
- 127-Dove Springs Flyer
- 135-Dell Limited
- 137-Colony Park Flyer
- 142-Metric Flyer
- 151-Allandale
- 161-Dellwood
- 171-Oak Hill Flyer
- 174-North Burnet Limited
[edit] Feeder routes
- 201-Southpark Meadows
- 214-Lago Vista Feeder
- 240-Parkfield
- 243-Wells Branch
[edit] Crosstown routes
- 300-Govalle
- 311-Stassney
- 320-St. Johns
- 325-Ohlen
- 331-Oltorf
- 333-William Cannon
- 338-Lamar/45th
- 339-Walnut Creek/Koenig
- 350-Airport Blvd.
- 383-Research
- 392-Braker
[edit] Circulators/special routes
- 410-E-Bus/West Campus
- 411-E-Bus/Riverside
- 412-E-Bus/Main Campus
- 420-Convention Shuttle North
- 421-Convention Shuttle South
- 422-Convention Shuttle Lady Bird Lake
- 430-Eastside Story
- 440-Tech Ridge Circulator
- 470-Tour the Town
- 481-Night Owl North
- 482-Night Owl East
- 483-Night Owl Southeast
- 484-Night Owl Lamar/South 1st
- 485-Night Owl Cameron
- 486-Night Owl Dove Springs
- 490-H-E-B Shuttle
- 499-Day Labor
[edit] Express routes
- 935-Tech Ridge Express
- 982-Pavilion Express
- 983-N. U.S. 183 Express
- 984-NW direct via Interstate 35
- 986-Leander Direct via Interstate 35
- 987-Leander/NW Express
- 990-Northeast Express
[edit] University of Texas at Austin shuttles
- EC-East Campus
- FA-Forty Acres
- PRC-Pickle Research Campus
- WC-West Campus
- CR-Cameron Road
- RR-Red River
- CR/RR-Cameron Road/Red River
- PB-Parker/Burton
- IF-Intramural Fields
- FW-Far West
- IF/FW-Intramural Fields/Far West
- ER-Enfield Road
- LA-Lake Austin
- ER/LA-Enfiled Road/Lake Austin
- CP-Crossing Place
- WL-Wickersham Lane
- WL/CP-Crossing Place/Wickersham Lane
- NR-North Riverside
- LS-Lakeshore
- LS/NR-North Riverside/Lakeshore
[edit] Dillos (downtown shuttles)
- Blue 'Dillo
- Gold 'Dillo
- Orange 'Dillo
- Red 'Dillo
- Silver 'Dillo
Capital Metro claims that decreasing ridership on the Dillos has prompted Capital Metro to evaluate reducing the number of routes to two and increasing their frequency.[13]
However, a deeper dig into the assertions reveals Capital Metro's desire to drastically scale back, and possibly cut altogether, 'Dillo service -- the only fare-free service left in Austin, Texas.[14]
[edit] References
- ^ Approved Annual Budget Fiscal Year 2006. Capital Metropolitan Transport Authority. Retrieved on 2007-08-28.
- ^ Free Fare Period, 1989-90. Bus Riders Union of Austin, Texas. Retrieved on 2007-15-20.
- ^ Free Fare Telephone Survey. 1993. Page 1.. NSI Market Research. Retrieved on 2008-05-16.
- ^ Shuttle disputes go round and round - Top Stories
- ^ Public Transit, Public Trust. John Sharp, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Retrieved on 2007-09-10.
- ^ Texas State Comptroller (1998-07-15). "Sharp Report Offers 147 Recommendations to Improve Operations and Restore Public Trust in Capital Metro". Press release.
- ^ A Critical Analysis of the Austin Light Rail Proposal. Texas Public Policy Foundation. Retrieved on 2007-09-10.
- ^ Stadler (September 23, 2005). "Stadler Wins Commuter Rail Car Award with Capital Metro". Press release.
- ^ Ben Wear. Ding, Ding, Ding Goes the Commuter Train. Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved on 2007-09-10.
- ^ Ben Wear. Capital Metro Budget Tops $200 Million. Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
- ^ Capital MetroRapid Technology on the Move. Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
- ^ Accommodating Traffic Increases/Managed Lanes. Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
- ^ Ben Wear. Capital Metro may thin Dillo herd. Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
- ^ BRU-ATX on Proposed 'Dillo Cuts. Bus Riders Union of Austin, Texas. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
