Houston City Council Considers Expanding Popular Microtransit Service to Second and Third Wards – Houston Public Media

After more than a year of providing free curb-to-curb shuttles in the Second and Third Wards, Evolve Houston could receive funding for another year of microtransit service if the City Council approves a contract extension Wednesday.

Casey Brown is President and Executive Director of Evolve Houston.

“We typically address residents’ first and last mile needs, which is connecting them to an existing public transportation network or getting them home from that network or their destination,” Brown said.

City Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabbaz, whose district includes Third Ward, had previously allocated $85,000 for the service through the summer of 2023.

“There’s a lot of talk about food insecurity in the area,” Evans-Shabbaz said. “This can allow people to go to the local grocery store, go door to door from their home to our HEB, and it helps address food insecurity in the neighbourhood.”

In late November, the city council approved $281,000 to fund the service through July.

“I was not disappointed,” Evans-Shabbaz said. “They provided a great service.”

If approved this week, the contract extension would increase the spending authorization to more than $1.3 million, allowing service to continue through July 2025 through a partnership with Harris County’s METRO transit authority.

“METRO, of course, is a critical partner because we were initially hoping they would resume service, and they have the funding to be able to help us continue,” Evans-Shabbaz said.

The deal was on the City Council agenda last week, but was deferred by Councilwoman Letitia Plummer, who said she was “incredibly supportive of microtransit” but had some unanswered questions.

“The fact that we have this agreement with the city is an important part of being able to expand this service,” Brown said.