TX: Microtransit program in Sugar Land gives residents access to affordable transportation options
By Shakari Briggs
Source Houston Chronicle (TNS)
Sugar Land has launched its Microtransit Pilot Project — Sugar Land On-Demand. The new service, which began on Tuesday, aims to provide affordable transportation options to residents and visitors.
"This is going to be the first of its kind, on-demand microtransit service in the Gulf Coast region," said Melanie Beaman, Sugar Land's transportation and mobility manager, at a city council meeting earlier this month. "So that in itself is very exciting."
Officials said they're responding to residents who want more public transit options. The fleet of vehicles used for this service will include electric sedans and hybrid electric wheelchair-accessible minivans.
It costs $2 to use Sugar Land On-Demand and an additional $1 for extra passengers. The service will remain free of charge until April 18.
The pilot program takes passengers to any location within the "service area zone" including the regional airport, Constellation Field, Smart Financial Center, Methodist Hospital, First Colony Mall, St. Luke's Hospital and the University of Houston's Sugar Land campus.
While major cities use popular rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft, the grant secured for the Microtransit Pilot Project requires Sugar Land to use electric vehicles for most types of trips. Additionally, the screening process for drivers goes through a more stringent vetting process, Beaman said.
The city will not incur any costs related to the three-year-long pilot program, officials said. The program, funded by the Houston-Galveston Area Council through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Commuter and Transit Services Pilot Program, has been described as a "test run" to see how well a "microtransit service will perform in a city like Sugar Land." Depending on its success, the city could extend the project.
To schedule a ride, call 346-615-5786 or download the Sugar Land On-Demand app.
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