AUSTIN, Texas — Capital Metro is expanding a service to allow riders to request a bus to pick them up and drop them off at a location of their choice.
The app, Pickup by Capital Metro, is now operating in five different zones across the Austin area.
“We're not your grandparents' transit system anymore – we're really trying to be responsive and really move forward with the times, because we see that the world is changing and this is really a piece of it,” said Chad Ballentine, CapMetro’s vice president of demand response and innovative mobility.
The areas where you can request a ride include Manor, East Austin, Walnut Creek and northeast Austin starting Tuesday, and Tarrytown starting Wednesday.
“A lot of people are really trying to get into transit a lot more and get out of their car, because traffic can be miserable here,” Ballentine said.
CapMetro has 15 new buses to service the five areas. They hope to expand the program as early as November.
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The goal is to fill the natural gaps that occur between the fixed-route bus system and help people connect to the greater bus system.
“We've heard that, ‘Oh, the bus is too far away from me,’ or, ‘I can't get there in time,’ and so this really allows folks to take this type of service to connect in with the bus service or if they just need to do a short little trip over to the grocery store and back, they can use this for that kind of thing,” Ballentine said.
After making a request through the app, riders can expect to wait no more than 15 minutes for the bus to arrive. You can pay through the app or using cash once you board the vehicle.
“This is a really great gateway to get people to see that transit is actually really easy to use, it's really affordable,” Ballentine said.
The buses are wheelchair accessible and have a bike rack.
The cost is $1.25 per ride. It’s free for people under 18, and it allows monthly passes.
If you don’t have a smartphone, you can call CapMetro dispatch to request a ride at 512-369-6200.
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