On Wednesday, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors unanimously recommended approval of a third renewal of Smart Trips, an outreach program designed to educate Austinites about the city’s expanding transit options. A collaboration between Capital Metro and the city of Austin, Smart Trips was launched in 2016 as a mailing program to test the waters, […]
Transit
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East Riverside to get bus priority lanes in April
Construction on interim transit bus lanes on East Riverside Drive will begin in late February and are expected to open in April, according to the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Austin Transportation Department. One of Austin’s major corridors, the nine bus routes on East Riverside carry roughly 20 percent of Capital Metro’s ridership. These […]
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Cap Metro reviews details of first interlocal agreement with Austin Transit Partnership
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors voted Monday to approve a resolution authorizing Randy Clarke, the president and CEO of Capital Metro, to finalize a three-year interlocal agreement with Austin Transit Partnership. In addition to discussing some of the chief details of Capital Metro’s role in the agreement, the board focused its attention […]
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An officer, a gentleman, Cap Metro postpones board elections
A variety of issues were discussed at the Jan. 25 Capital Metro board meeting, which ranged from fielding calls from disgruntled constituents to discourse surrounding the election of new officers to the board of directors and the somewhat contentious prospect of removing current ones. Ultimately, the board postponed the election of 2021 officers for another […]
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CAMPO authorizes federal transit funding for seniors, individuals with disabilities
On Monday, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Board unanimously approved new transportation funding criteria for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities using funds from the Federal Transit Administration, amid growing competition. FTA Section 5310 is a federal program that grants money to local transportation programs that increase mobility options and improve transportation […]
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Application deadline extended for Austin Transit Partnership board
Application deadlines have been extended to 5 p.m. on Dec. 2 for community members interested in serving on the five-member board of the Austin Transit Partnership, the independent organization that will oversee execution of Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Project Connect. The deadline was previously Nov. 27. Applications will be reviewed by the Capital Metro-City Council […]
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Capital Metro seeks to make transit more accessible for low-income riders
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority is launching two new initiatives that aim to expand equity and access to its app. One will test capping fares for low-income users, while the other will allow those customers and others to pay for rides on the app even if they don’t have access to credit or debit cards. Capping […]
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Cap Metro cross-charges electric buses
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been testing out the electric bus market this year with vehicles and charging systems from two different manufacturers. While the six Proterra and six New Flyer buses originally came with manufacturer-specific charging systems, Capital Metro has adapted the systems so that each charger is now able to connect with […]
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Covid-19 informs Pickup service model
The on-demand, app-based transportation service Pickup has become an increasingly central piece of Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s service network in recent years, beginning with a pilot in 2017 and expanding into seven neighborhoods today. As the program expands into new areas over the coming years, Capital Metro plans to prioritize the service for low-income and […]
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Capital Metro committee recommends pedestrian and transit connections agreement
At about $130,000 each, pedestrian hybrid beacons have been shown to reduce crashes by 29 percent, car-pedestrian crashes by 69 percent and serious injuries and fatal crashes by 15 percent. The city has 84 of these crossings around the city and a new federal grant program could help install 10 more near local transit stops. […]
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County works out budget snags with Cap Metro in transportation blueprint
Travis County has nearly finished its second year of partnership with Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide transit operations into unincorporated parts of Travis County. In the process, transportation staff has uncovered a few unanticipated costs that will affect the rollout of the overall long-range plan. “We are looking at increased costs to the county […]
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Broadmoor rail station to break ground in September, replace Kramer station
A new Red Line commuter rail station will break ground next month, directly servicing the Domain and the future $2 billion mixed-use Broadmoor development by summer 2022. The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority board approved a public-private partnership with Brandywine for the $24 million double-platform station on Monday, committing to pay no more than $12 million, half […]