Harris County Transit Services Launches Microtransit Service, Harris County, TX 2021

Harris County Transit Services has launched Transit Plus, a point-to-point demand-responsive transportation service for customers in the Generation Park area outside of Houston. Customers can request rides to and from anywhere within two separate zones, respectively called the North and South Zones, that are located alongside Beltway 8 in northeastern Harris County. Both of the zones meet at a common anchor point so that customers can transfer. In the South Zone, customers can also transfer to three fixed bus routes at two separate anchor points. Customers can request Transit Plus rides online or by calling a phone line up to three days ahead of time, where they mention their pickup and dropoff locations. Customers can also board the buses at designated anchor points within each of the zones. For each zone, Transit Plus will have an 18-passenger bus that operates from 7 AM to 6 PM during the work week and from 8 AM to 6 PM on Saturdays. Standard fares cost $1, with $.50 discounted fares available to children, seniors, and people with disabilities. Fares can be paid in cash or through a METRO Q® Fare Card.

Harris County Transit Services opted to pilot this service after surveying residents from across five ZIP codes in northeastern Harris County. Transit Plus was designed specifically to address the needs of residents living in a less dense area of the Houston metropolitan area so that they can access important destinations like grocery stores or connect to other transit services. For the time being, Transit Plus is scheduled to run through February 2022 and is jointly funded by the Federal Transit Administration and the Harris County Commissioners Court with a $285,000 budget.

Last updated July 26, 2021