CARTS Brings Microtransit to Lockhart, TX, 2022

The Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) has expanded its microtransit service, CARTS Now, to the City of Lockhart. In Lockhart, customers can request shared point-to-point rides in real-time on CARTS Now using a Via-supported smartphone app or by calling a hotline. A vehicle picks riders up within 15 minutes of their request and can bring customers anywhere within a designated service area. CARTS Now operates in Lockhart from 7 AM to 7 PM, Monday through Friday. As a promotion, rides are fare-free for a limited time.

CARTS Now is now operating in its third zone after starting service nearby in Tyler and Bastrop in 2021. Microtransit has the potential to carry passengers more efficiently than traditional fixed-route public transportation in lower-density rural areas. As CARTS Now becomes more established in Lockhart, Bastrop, and Tyler, it will be interesting to see if microtransit expands to other communities outside of Austin.

Last updated June 7, 2022