Posted: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:34 PM - 14,089 Readers
By: Sara Behunek
In an effort to boost ridership, Capital Metro Transit has made
several changes to its bus routes, including eliminating underutilized
rail connectors and re-routing others.
The Capital Metro board of directors approved the changes in a 7-0 vote April 27.
The alterations, which go into effect in August, would add
approximately $2,000 to the annual budget, but that would be offset by
about $41,000 in additional revenue from efficiencies, according to
Capital Metro.
All but one of the suggestions presented by Capital Metro were
adopted. The board did not approve re-routing the Airport Flyer, or
route 100, to Riverside Drive from Seventh street to Austin-Bergstrom
International Airport in an effort to capture a larger market of
potential passengers.
Board member Chris Riley, who spoke with a valet employee at The
Courtyard by Marriott, 300 East Fourth Street, reported that the general
consensus was that Capital Metro had not done a very good job of
communicating with hotels about the Airport Flyer service, which would
account for low usage. The board called on Capital Metro to renew
educational efforts and plans to revisit the proposal at a later date.
For a map of the approved changes, click here.
Downtown rail connector buses
Three downtown routes—460, which runs along Congress Avenue; 461, on
Guadalupe Street; and 462, on Riverside Drive—will be discontinued due
to low ridership. These “dedicated rail connectors” were designed to
take rail passengers exiting at the downtown station, on Fourth Street
between Neches and Trinity Streets, on the final leg of their commute by
bus.
An average of about 100 people per day use the downtown rail
connectors, because most people who take the rail downtown walk or bike
to their destination, said Misty Whited, Capital Metro spokeswoman. By
comparison, the 465 MLK connector route carries more than 175 people per
day on average.
Capital Metro has begun informal discussions with car2go or another
car-sharing service to provide an alternative to rail connector
passengers. Car2go has two car slips near the downtown station.
MLK/Downtown Rail Connector 464
Route 464, which runs along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and
through downtown, will no longer run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. because
of low ridership.
The bus is designed to take rail passengers exiting at the MLK Jr.
station, on Alexander Avenue and MLK Boulevard, to major destinations
like the State Office Complex, the state Capitol, The University of
Texas and the University Medical Center Brackenridge.
ER Enfield Road 622/MLK 18
Bus routes ER, or 622, and 18 will merge to create a complete east-to-west service.
Route 18, running along Sixth street, downtown and through the UT
campus, though only when the university is in full session, will now run
non-stop. Major destinations along this route include the Frank Erwin
Center, UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Capital Metro’s MLK Jr. rail station and
the Techni Center.
The ER route, which has experienced low ridership, circles Lake
Austin Boulevard and goes along Enfield Road to the University of Texas.
Kramer/ Domain 466
Bus route 466, serving Kramer Station, Pickle Research Campus and The
Domain, will be realigned from Mopac to Burnet Road and Metric Street
to reach Austin Community College Northridge, 11928 Stonehollow Drive,
and provide a more direct route for riders.
Parkfield 240
Bus route 240, stopping at IBM Corp., The Domain and the North Lamar
Transit Center, among others, will no longer make a loop onto Braker
Street and Kramer Lane while traveling along Burnet Road. The route will
no longer go directly by Kramer Station
Burleson 228
Bus route 228, servicing St. Edwards University, will take a detour
while on Burleson Street to service Smith School Road and McKinney Falls
Parkway.
Bull Creek 19
Bus route 19, which stops at Northcross Mall, Seton Medical Center,
Anderson High School and the downtown and Capitol districts, will add
Sunday service. It will no longer run along Jackson and 40th Streets or
on Jefferson, Harris or 24th streets. Instead, the bus will be re-routed
to E. 38th Street and Guadalupe Street to reach a more populated area.
