With fares returning on June 1, customers will be able to board through the front door.
CapMetro
Austin, Texas’ CapMetro extended it free fare period through May 31 and will resume fare collection on all its services beginning June 1. The agency will also introduce its Workforce Aid Pass, valid for the month of June. Through this program, CapMetro will offer fare-free service to community members who are experiencing unemployment.
Plexiglass shields will be installed on all CapMetro vehicles by the end of the month to offer further protection to operators and customers. With fares returning on June 1, customers will be able to board through the front door. CapMetro implemented fare-free service on April 1 to protect both customers and operators. The agency also required all passengers to use rear door boarding in order to further promote social distancing and slow the spread of COVID-19.
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To offer relief during the pandemic, the transit agency will continue fare-free service through the end of June for customers experiencing unemployment. Anyone who is currently unemployed and has been approved with the Texas Workforce Commission for unemployment benefits is eligible for the Workforce Aid Pass.
"We're really proud of the way our CapMetro team has adjusted these past few months to care for our community," said CapMetro President/CEO Randy Clarke. "We want to further extend our support for members of the community who are experiencing unemployment and are maybe even using CapMetro services to find their next job."
To receive the Workforce Aid Pass, customers must submit acknowledgement of their unemployment status from the Texas Workforce Commission. They will then need to forward that documentation to CapMetro before picking up a pass or having one mailed to them.
The agency also announced the following health and safety measures will remain in place across all CapMetro services until further notice:
Enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures will continue CapMetro vehicles throughout the day.
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Skip-a-seat signage is still present on CapMetro vehicles to promote social distancing.
All customers are required to wear a facial covering while using CapMetro services. CapMetro operators are provided facial coverings to wear during their shifts.
Customers are asked to practice good hygiene practices and not ride transit if feeling sick.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
The service is a flexible, reservation-based transit service designed to close the first- and last-mile gaps and connect riders to employment for just $5 per day.
The upgraded system, which went live earlier this month, supports METRO’s METRONow vision to enhance the customer experience, improve service reliability, and strengthen long-term regional mobility.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
