TX: Houston's suburban public transit network is limited, but growing in Fort Bend. Here's why.

Suburban residents moving to the Houston region quickly learn how limited public transportation is outside the central metro area. In Fort Bend County, however, public transit is steadily expanding, even to rural areas.

Fort Bend Transit's most recent addition is bus service to and from Needville, a city in the western part of the county with a population of around 3,000 people, according to Census data.

The transit system started a route to downtown Houston in March, and the latest ridership data shows an increasing number of riders. This trend indicates a demand for more public transportation options, said Thomas Gray, principal planner for transporation for the Houston-Galveston Area Council.

"(The downtown service) has been well-received and has already achieved its one-year ridership target, in terms of trips per day, even though it's only been in operation for six months," Gray said.

He said other examples of Fort Bend Transit's expansion efforts include construction of a new park-and-ride facility along the Westpark Toll Road to serve riders in Cinco Ranch and other north-county neighborhoods. That facility may also be able to offer service to other job centers not currently served by the transit system, such as the Energy Corridor.

"I think FBT is definitely making an effort to grow and expand. The connection to Needville and the aforementioned commuter service to downtown Houston are two examples of that effort. So is the construction of a new park-and-ride facility along the Westpark Toll Road, which will serve the northern part of the county, Cinco Ranch, etc., and perhaps provide service to employment centers that are currently not served by FBT, such as the Energy Corridor."

What is Fort Bend Transit?

Fort Bend Transit operates Park and Ride facilities, offers commuter services to key employment centers including the Texas Medical Center, Greenway Plaza and Galleria and provides a demand-response service that allows residents to book trips in advance.

Headquartered in Rosenberg, it was first known as the Fort Bend County Public Transportation Department and was created in 2005 to connect the county's rural and urban communities.

The demand-response service is available to the general public as well as to senior citizens and individuals with disabilities. All demand response buses are Americans with Disabilities Act compliant, said Perri D'Armond, director of public transportation at Fort Bend Transit.

The demand-response and commuter services mainly cover Sugar Land, Rosenberg, Richmond, Katy, Stafford and Missouri City.

A 16-passenger bus now connects Needville with the Richmond- Rosenberg area. The service operates Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 5 p.m., with a fare of $1 each way.

"We track our denials, people call in and they want a ride, but we don't have availability at that time or place," D'Armond said in a phone interview. " Needville popped up as the area from which we were getting the most denials."

According to H-GAC's regional transit ridership data for the first six months of 2024, Fort Bend Transit reported 65,084 Dial-a-Ride and ADA riders, and 102, 806 express riders.

"We conduct ridership surveys on a quarterly basis," said Gray "We started doing them a few years ago when ridership took a hit during COVID, we wanted to see how it was recovering."

Fort Bend Transit's demand response services have grown by 19 percent in the first six months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, while commuter express services have seen a 34 percent increase, Gray said.

"I think this is an indicator of strong demand for public transportation service within the county, especially as transit providers continue to recover from the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

Bus service to University of Houston

As of Tuesday, Sept. 3, Fort Bend Transit buses also began making stops at the University of Houston's main campus. The $4-per-ride service is intended for students commuting between the main campus and the Sugar Land extension. Buses depart from the AMC Theater First Colony Park & Ride, located near First Colony Mall, and travel to the university.

The transit systems in Montgomery, Harris, Waller, and Galveston counties vary in size and scope.

"I don't want to make comparisons to other regional transit providers because each one is different, with their own opportunities and challenges related to demographics, commute patterns, and, perhaps most importantly, available funding," said Gray.

"I will say that there are transit providers in this region who want to expand the services they offer, but simply do not have the financial capacity to do so."

Here's a summary of the options available in other counties surrounding Fort Bend:

Montgomery County transit

Montgomery County does not have its own transit service, but the Brazos Transit District operates the Town Center Trolley in the Woodlands, according to the organization's website. The trolley rides are free.

Area nonprofits Interfaith of the Woodlands, Meals on Wheels — Montgomery County, BrightStar Care Houston, Tri-Country Behavioral Healthcare and Precinct 3 Bus Program provide transportation services for seniors.

The city of Conroe operates the Conroe Connection Transit, a low cost bus service that connects Conroe to downtown Houston, Midtown, the Texas Medical Center and the VA Hospital.

Public transit options are relatively sparse outside of more developed areas like The Woodlands and Conroe. The Brazos Transit District's demand-response service is also available in Montgomery County, but only outside of the urbanized area.

According to the website, the Brazos Transit District serves 20 counties across Central and East Texas, covering more than 14,000 square miles. A one-way fare costs $1, while a day pass is $3.50, with discounts available for children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Children under 6 can ride for free when accompanied by a paying passenger.

Harris County transit

Public transportation in Harris County is primarily managed by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO), which serves the Houston area and surrounding suburbs.

METRO routes are divided into different zones, and the fare (ranging from $2-$8) depends on the zone where you board. METRO also offers METRORail, METROLift and METRO Star Vanpool. METROLift is a paratransit service for individuals with disabilities, according to its website.

Harris County Transit offers bus services to those living outside the METRO service area, including Channelview, Cloverleaf, Sheldon, Baytown, and La Porte.

Waller County transit

Waller County is served by the Colorado Valley Transit District, which offers door-to-door demand-response transportation.

"At this time we are doing demand response, door- to-door, and curb — to- curb services available to all of Waller County," said Claudia Wicks, executive director of Colorado Valley Transportation District. "We also provide monthly medical trips outside of Waller County. Our buses are ADA accessible and equipped with bicycle racks."

The Colorado Valley Transportation District plans to launch a bus service in Waller County, but there is no set timeline yet, Wicks said.

Brazoria County transit

The Gulf Coast Transit District provides a demand-response service in Brazoria County and mainland Galveston County. Passengers must make their reservations at least 1.5 hours before travel in Brazoria County. The base fare is $2.

Galveston County transit

The Galveston County Transit District is available in mainland Galveston County. Passengers must make their reservations at least an hour before travel in Galveston.

Island Transit in Galveston operates ADA paratransit services, a bus service and rubber wheel trolley and rail trolley services. Adult fares are $1 per ride, while children over six, seniors, and disabled individuals pay $0.50.

Ferries are also available through the Texas Department of Transportation, which operates the Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry.

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