Texas' Capital Metro taps firm to recommend service enhancements
The agency will look to Transportation Management and Design to use both innovative and proven solutions to help create a more effective and integrated system to address transportation challenges in the rapidly growing Central Texas region.
The Austin, Texas-based Capital Metro’s board of directors selected Transportation Management and Design (TMD) to lead a comprehensive review of the agency’s network. The firm will begin an extensive evaluation of Capital Metro’s bus service to evaluate potential for increasing ridership while exploring ways to improve and enhance the overall rider experience.
The agency will look to Transportation Management and Design (TMD) to use both innovative and proven solutions to help create a more effective and integrated system to address transportation challenges in the rapidly growing Central Texas region. As part of its review, TMD will evaluate how well Capital Metro is meeting the needs of the community and also the goals of the agency. The plan is expected to be completed in the fall of 2016, with implementation expected in 2017.
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“Our goal is to rethink and deliver a better bus system for our customers,” said Capital Metro President/CEO Linda Watson. “We are confident Transportation Management and Design is the right company to do that, especially given their proven track record. We’re excited to begin the process, which will include working hand-in-hand with the community over the next year to find out what kinds of improvements they’d like to see.”
TMD is regarded as an industry leader in transit planning, and has conducted over 75 successful system reimagining projects around the country, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tampa.
Capital Metro selected the firm through a rigorous and competitive solicitation procurement process spanning more than two months. The agency evaluated the firm’s approach, experience, staff, proposed timeline and understanding of local context before making its final decision. The firm’s recommendations for the transit systems in Los Angeles, Tampa and San Diego allow for major improvements to be made at a net-neutral cost.
Capital Metro’s plan will focus on goals established by its board of directors and informed by community-driven feedback that balance difficult trade-offs while prioritizing fiscal responsibility. During the year-long service planning process, Capital Metro, together with its consultant team will lead a robust public involvement process, with engagement opportunities beginning late 2015.
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.
