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    1. Alt. Mobility
    2. Shared Mobility

    Houston Metro to launch METRONow plan aimed at improving transit experience

    Feb. 27, 2025
    The multifaceted plan provides a roadmap for ridership growth, financial sustainability and the establishment of key priorities that will strengthen the transit culture for the Houston area.
    Related To: Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston Metro)
    Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County
    Houston Metro's multifaceted plan provides a roadmap for ridership growth, financial sustainability and the establishment of key priorities that will strengthen the transit culture for the Houston area.
    Houston Metro's multifaceted plan provides a roadmap for ridership growth, financial sustainability and the establishment of key priorities that will strengthen the transit culture for the Houston area.

    The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Houston Metro) has released details of its ridership growth plan, METRONow plan. The agency says this plan will take a comprehensive and collaborative approach to improve mobility for the entire region and encourage current and new riders to use transit. 

    “The new board of directors is laser-focused on ensuring all we do ties to ridership and mobility,” said Houston Metro Board Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock. "METRONow is the roadmap to a sustainable, fiscally responsible public transit system. By meeting our customers where they are today, we will make it easy for people to choose METRO.” 

    METRONow focuses on four initiatives aimed at enhancing the customer experience: 

    • Strengthening safety and growing security  
    • Improving cleanliness across the system 
    • Increasing service and reliability 
    • Expanding accessibility 

     

    Prioritizing safety  

    To prioritize the safety of its customers, employees and its community, Houston Metro is working to allocate an additional $7 million for expanded security measures, including: 

    • Growing security presence by adding additional officers and substations. 
    • Deploying patrols on buses and trains. 
    • Upgrading monitoring technology. 
    • Installing new lighting and security fencing. 

     

    Improving cleanliness 

    The agency says it is dedicating $2.4 million to cleaning efforts in 2025, including:  

    • Deploying eight street sweepers and eight all-terrain vacuum trucks. 
    • Adding new cleaning contracts to support a 24-hour rapid response team that attends to bus stops, rail platforms, transit centers and park & rides. 
    • Partnering with management districts to be more efficient in keeping bus stops and shelters clean, including more frequent emptying of trash cans. 
    • Providing more consistent landscaping across the system to enhance curb appeal. 

     

    Increasing reliability 

    To improve service and reliability, Houston Metro is working to help maintain infrastructure through projects and partnerships dedicated to:  

    • Repairing hazardous sidewalks, crosswalks and streets. 
    • Refreshing aging and opening new facilities. 
    • Partnering on a $200 million traffic relief plan for Inner Katy mobility. 
    • Partnering on a $300 million Gulfton revitalization effort. 
    • Investing $100 million into mobility solutions at railroad crossings. 

     

    Additionally, Houston Metro says its working to modernize its fleet and operations by:  

    • Adding 350 new buses. 
    • Replacing 100 METROLift vehicles, expanding curb2curb service. 
    • Adding microtransit to service options. 
    • Expanding customer service hours. 
    • Implementing a new fare system with easier ways to pay. 
    • Restructuring routes and schedules to meet growing demand. 

     

    Boosting accessibility 

    • Houston Metro says it is working to improve accessibility for all, including: 
    • Continuing investment in BOOST routes, including making sidewalks and ramps ADA compliant. 
    • Making more than 700 additional bus stops fully accessible by the end of fiscal year 2025. 
    • Upgrading signage and lighting. 
    • Offering bike racks on buses and designated bike areas on trains. 

     

    “We have challenges, but Metro is on the right track with new leadership and better collaboration with the city and law enforcement than before,” said Houston County Mayor John Whitmire. “Every great city has a viable, successful public transit system. As mayor, I expect METRONow to focus on using resources wisely to build transit that people will use: a cleaner, safer and more efficient system that improves the overall customer experience.” 

    The agency says it will direct its focus on preparing for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, including prioritizing direct routes to and from airports through the METRONow. Airport service routes will be permanent fixtures in the system.