The First Days of Houston's New High Frequency Bus Grid

Here's a look around a variety of media outlets for a sample of the coverage on the first days of Metro's new bus system in Houston, which makes use of a high frequency grid and did not require a new source of transit funding.

Jarrett Walker provides insight, as the consultant that led the design process of the new system, into what the new system means for residents of Houston. Walker also shares a lot more links to local coverage of the system overhaul. His message: "Welcome, Houston, to a totally new transit system.  And for everyone else, remember:  If your bus network is obsolete, you can reimagine it to be more liberating and useful, and also to be more relevant to building the city you want."

Gail Delaughter previewed the launch of the new system a few days before it went live on August 16, 2015—focusing on Metro's customer service and outreach efforts. The roll out of the new system includes free rides from August 16-22.

Next, Madlin Mekelburg provided a boots-on-the-ground access to Metro employees as they guided users through the first business day of the system. The article followed Metro employee Barrett Ochoa, who is studying urban planning at Texas A&M University, as he offered bilingual guidance to Metro bus system users at the Texas Medical Center Transit Center.

Finally, Angie Schmitt picked up on the news and shared links to past coverage of the overhaul and notes that Columbus is working on a system redesign based on similar concepts.