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Transit
CapMetro's secret fight to fix a broken fare system
For months, Capital Metro passengers knew something wasn’t right. The QR code scanners they used to pay fares with phones were unreliable, sometimes not working at all. Riders would often board without paying, flagged on by the driver to keep…
Transit • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Feb 28, 2025
Austin Transit Partnership presents pedestrian features, changes to stops in revised Project Connect plan
The Mobility Committee of City Council heard an update on plans for the Austin light-rail project that included a proposal for three new pedestrian features along the prospective system, as well as changes to stops, during a meeting on Feb.…
Transit • By Miles Wall • Feb 26, 2025
Austin's new CapMetro Rapid lines debut with buses every 20 minutes
Capital Metro rolled out its long-awaited Rapid lines this weekend, but “rapid” for now will mean a 20- to 30-minute wait for the next bus. Originally slated for 2023 with ambitious plans for an all-electric fleet, 10-minute frequency and end-of-line park and rides,…
Transit • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Feb 24, 2025
Environmental Commission weighs Project Connect’s environmental impact and federal funding
In light of Donald Trump’s recent effort to freeze federal spending authorized by Congress – swiftly blocked by two federal judges – the question on every local policymaker’s mind is: What’s going to happen to all the local projects that…
Transit • By Lina Fisher • Feb 7, 2025
Objections arise over Project Connect’s plan to use parkland
Now that the Austin Transit Partnership has released its huge draft environmental impact statement for Project Connect, parks advocates are raising concerns about the proposed expropriation of city parkland by the rail system without the permission of Austin voters. Larry…
Transit • By Jo Clifton • Jan 22, 2025
Austin unveils how light-rail could change the city in new report with detailed maps
The curtain is finally lifting on Austin’s long-planned light-rail system, as a newly released report from the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) reveals a more detailed vision for the 9.8-mile route. For the first time, Austinites can view block-by-block maps, see specific station…
Transit • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Jan 13, 2025
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CapMetro bringing tap-to-pay to Austin’s buses and trains by March
Hopping on a Capital Metro bus or train should soon be as easy as tapping a credit or debit card. In March, the regional transit agency will part ways with its unreliable QR code-based fare system and switch to tap-to-pay technology.…
Transit • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Jan 10, 2025
Cap Metro to shelve 46 new electric buses for a year after manufacturer bankruptcy
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority will put 46 brand-new electric buses in storage for at least a year, the latest fallout from an electrification goal the transit agency now admits was overly ambitious. The main problem, Capital Metro’s leadership says, has…
Transit • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Nov 19, 2024
Cap Metro to build second set of train tracks in East Austin
Capital Metro is planning to build a second set of train tracks along the Red Line in East Austin along with new sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and another platform at Plaza Saltillo Station. A second set of tracks – known as…
Transit • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Oct 30, 2024
Project Connect trial to resume after Paxton appeal rejected
Editor’s note: The original version of this story contained an error conflating two of AG Ken Paxton’s opinions. The story has now been corrected. A little over a year ago, a group of prominent Austin citizens filed suit against the…
Transit • By Lina Fisher • Oct 16, 2024
Delayed CapMetro Rapid routes to launch next year with slower service and diesel buses
Capital Metro’s newest high-frequency bus routes have been delayed, and now the transit agency says the Expo Center and Pleasant Valley routes will launch next year with reduced frequency and diesel-powered buses instead of the promised electric ones. The delays are pushing back…
Transit • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Sep 27, 2024
San Antonio, Travis County and Mexico officials urge Legislature to fund passenger rail next session
Monday morning saw a bevy of local – and international – officials come together on one issue that unites all who must traverse Texas: its nightmarish traffic. Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and San Antonio City Council Member Melissa Cabello…