Houston's Big Year in Transit Pays Off in New Ridership

A press release by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Metro) announced that ridership on all fixed routes grew 11 percent between November 2014 and November.

"Local bus ridership numbers for November 2015 are up more than 4 percent from a year ago. METRORail's Red Line ridership is up nearly 26 percent and Park & Ride boardings have increased nearly 6 and a half percent."

Metro Board Chairman Gilbert Garcia provides soundbites in the press release, noting the improved ridership on routes in the city's "New Bus Network," which launched to great fanfare in August 2015. Garcia also notes that the city is in the first year of a five-year plan to improve mobility option in the Houston region. Next up for the agency: a new two-way transfer policy, which will be announced on January 24, 2016.