Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, commonly referred to as Capital Metro, is a public transportation provider located in Austin, Texas. It operates bus, paratransit services and a commuter rail system known as the Capital MetroRail in Austin and several suburbs in Travis and Williamson counties. In January 2014, Capital Metro launched MetroRapid, an express service operating in shared lanes with automobile traffic.
Voters approved the creation of Capital Metro in January 1985, agreeing to fund the organization with a one percent sales tax.
History
Capital Metro was established by a referendum on January 19, 1985, to provide mass transportation service to the greater Austin metropolitan area. Voters in Austin and the surrounding area approved the creation of the agency, to be funded in part by a 1 percent sales tax. Capital Metro commenced operations on July 1, 1985, and took over the existing city of Austin bus services in 1986.In an effort to boost ridership, Capital Metro did away with fares completely and instituted fare-free in an experiment that lasted from October 1989 to December 1990. The program was enormously successful in attracting new passengers, and increased ridership by 75%. The fare-free scheme, however, attracted problem riders who drove away quality ridership. In response, 75% of transit drivers voted to have the program discontinued immediately in 1990.
In 1997 Capital Metro was the subject of a string of Texas Legislature and FBI investigations that uncovered a dysfunctional organization beset by poor management. As a result, the Legislature subsequently overhauled Capital Metro and its board of directors in an attempt to make the transit authority both more effective and transparent ahead of a performance review by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The review cited an "ongoing criminal investigation" by the FBI, "irresponsible management", "expensive, embarrassing mistakes", "dubious contracting and purchasing practices", and $118,000 spent on "food, parties, and presents for its employees" and culminated with, "We have never, in all of the performance reviews we have conducted, seen an agency with such a lack of accountability."
As part of this restructuring, the Legislature ordered Capital Metro to hold an up-or-down referendum on passenger rail. In response, Capital Metro released an ambitious plan that proposed to spend $1.9 billion for a light rail system with 52 miles of track on existing streets. The referendum was narrowly defeated in November 2000 by 2,000 votes, with voters in central Austin tending to favor it, while those outside the city limits did not.
Capital Metro prepared a greatly scaled-back version for voters in November 2004. The updated plan sought to build just one starter line that would run north–south at a cost $90 million. While the project was somewhat marred by construction delays, questions and safety and cost overruns, the Red Line of the Capital MetroRail began service on March 22, 2010.
Capital Metro had its first passenger/bus fatality in its operating history on January 30, 2012, when route 383 operated by Veolia Transportation bus struck a pedestrian crossing Braker Lane and Jollyville Road. The next fatality happened on January 29, 2019 when a driver struck Anthony John Diaz while he was cycling near the University of Texas campus.
There have been several passenger injuries that have been reported on Veolia, StarTran, and First Transit routes in which First Transit exceeds performance ratings, StarTran in the middle, and Veolia failing to consistently meet performance ratings. A safety review plan has been communicated with Veolia Transportation in 2011. The board of directors have been constantly reviewing ways of improvement for that contractor.
In June, 2018, Capital Metro began testing driverless buses. If successful the buses would run for free as part of a 12-month pilot program.
Funding conflicts
The source of Capital Metro's funding has been a source of considerable and consistent controversy since the transit authority's founding in 1985. In December 1988, the board of directors voluntarily lowered the sales and use tax to 0.75-cent. In June 1995, the Board of Directors reinstated the sales and use tax to the full one percent effective October 1, 1995, promising to set aside the additional revenue for funding light rail.Capital Metro, after raising its sale tax from 0.75 percent to 1 percent in 1995, had stockpiled $176 million by the 2000 referendum. When light rail was defeated at the polls in 2000, however, pressure mounted to return the quarter-cent it had been setting aside for rail projects. For years, mass transit detractors had coveted the quarter percentage earmarked for rail projects. Political leaders and organizations, including former Republican state Rep. Terry Keel of Austin, Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty and his anti-rail group Reclaim Our Allocated Dollars, wanted the sales-tax money to build projects such as a highway loop around Austin and an east–west freeway. As pressure mounted on Capital Metro, Keel announced his intention to roll Capital Metro's taxing authority back to a half-cent and redirecting the other half-cent to highway construction.
To head that off and keep rail's future prospects alive, the Capital Metro board passed resolutions in the months after the vote making two promises: It would direct $91 million of its existing reserves to local governments for transportation projects, and it would dispense all proceeds that year from a quarter-cent of its tax to those same local governments. That quarter-cent promise was later extended for three more years, eventually amounting to $113 million, for a total of $204 million.
The city of Austin, given that something on the order of 97 percent of Capital Metro sales taxes come from within the city, was to be the primary beneficiary of those promises. Since 2000, at least $106 million of the $204 million promised to Austin and smaller cities such as Manor and Leander. At the same time, however, it was spending more than $300 million on commuter rail, park-and-ride lots, a new maintenance and operations center, and other facilities. As the Great Recession spread to Austin in 2009, tax revenues dried up and Capital Metro had to stop payment on a $51 million loan owed to Austin as part of a 2001 agreement.
Member jurisdictions
The following jurisdictions participate in the Capital Metro system, all in Travis and Williamson Counties.- Austin
- Jonestown
- Lago Vista
- Leander
- Manor
- Point Venture
- Round Rock
- San Leanna
- Volente
- The Anderson Mill area in Williamson County
- Precinct 2, an unincorporated area in north Travis County.
Capital MetroBus
Capital Metro's fixed route bus service includes 83 standard routes and 14 high-frequency bus routes. It has several categories of routes: Local Service, Flyer and Limited, Feeder, Crosstown, Special Services, Express and University of Texas Shuttles. At the agency's inception, Capital Metro originally operated a series of "paired" route service where two different routes that pass through downtown are served by the same buses, allowing riders to transfer between certain routes without leaving the bus. Since 2008, this practice has been eliminated and after a number of route pair reassignments, the agency merged the paired routes under single route numbers. Meanwhile, most local routes carried two digits before Capital Metro assigned a third digit for routes that do not serve downtown in 2000. Flyer routes were renumbered altogether to match their local stop counterparts, while express routes that operated during commute times only contained letters.University of Texas Shuttle System
The University of Texas' shuttle system, operated by Capital Metro, is one of the largest university transit systems in the United States. The UT Shuttle System boasts 10 routes and carries over 5.2 million passengers a year. UT students, faculty, and staff may ride the shuttles at no charge with a valid UT photo ID. Without a UT photo ID, normal MetroBus rates apply.During the five fiscal years that ended in September 2009, hours of shuttle service declined by 16.3 percent and passengers declined by 28 percent. Capital Metro attributes some of that ridership loss to UT students and staffers moving in greater numbers to regular Capital Metro bus routes, where they also ride for free. During the same period, non-shuttle ridership by UT students and staffers increased to 2.3 million from 1.6 million. Still, combined shuttle and non-shuttle UT ridership has declined.
History
The relationship between the university and Capital Metro dates to 1989, when the agency took over service that private bus companies had provided for 20 years. Capital Metro offered snazzier buses with air conditioning, but it immediately lengthened the time between some bus runs.In 1983, the University of Texas received six bids to manage the shuttle system. Capital Metro entered into the picture in 1988, when the university contracted out to them. Capital Metro, in turn, then subcontracted out to Laidlaw International, Inc., who had, up to that point, operated orange and white school buses for the university on a contractual basis. Rather than use Laidlaw's existing bus fleet, however, Capital Metro used their own. In so doing, Capital Metro brought air conditioning and wheelchair accessibility to the shuttle service for the first time. The transition, however, was not without controversy. Among the other contested issues was the fact that these new shuttles didn't have a stereo system
In 1991, Capital Metro canceled its contract with Laidlaw and contracted out with DAVE Transportation, instead
Amidst allegations of union busting, in 1999, Capital Metro canceled its then current contract and instead contracted out with ATC/Vancom, instead Six years later, in 2005, Capital Metro, citing concerns over the comparatively low wages ATC/Vancom paid, negotiated a contract with First Transit to operate the UT shuttle buses.
Independent of the university shuttle system, Capital Metro has, since September 19, 2002, operated so-called "E-Bus" routes, to ferry students between heavily populated student residential areas to within a block of 6th Street. These buses run from 8:00-9:00pm to 3:00am, Thursday through Sunday. The E in "E-Bus" stands for "eating and entertainment" and funding was initially provided for by companies advertising on the bus. On April 1, 2010, the Daily Texan reported that, in an attempt to curb passenger unruliness, Capital Metro was requiring students swipe their student IDs before boarding and that the University of Texas would start paying for some of the services.
Routes
The UT Shuttle system includes a number of routes during the University of Texas semester. They do not operate on Saturdays, except during finals. Since September 2014, numbered routes have been used exclusively at bus stops, though signage on buses may use either numbered or lettered signage. UT Shuttle routes now also served by the same vehicle livery as other Capital Metro passengers. Local fares apply.Routes are current as of September 2014.
| Route | Name | Destination | Notes |
| 640 FA | Forty Acres | E 23rd at San Jacinto — Guadalupe at W 23rd | Circular service, runs clockwise. Formerly the western half of Route 54, originally the entire Route 54. |
| 641 EC | East Campus | E 23rd at San Jacinto — UFCU Disch-Falk Field | Circular service, runs clockwise. Name was previously DF Disch-Falk. Formerly the eastern half of Route 54, originally Route 60. |
| 642 WC | West Campus | San Jacinto at E 23rd — San Gabriel at W 25th | Circular service, runs counterclockwise. Formerly Route 50. |
| 656 IF | Intramural Fields | E 26th at San Jacinto — Guadalupe at W 51st | Formerly Route 56. |
| 661 FW | Far West | Dean Keeton at Speedway — Village Center | Service via Mopac Expressway between W 35th and Far West. Formerly Route 55. |
| 663 LA | Lake Austin | Whitis at W 21st — Kermit at Jasper | Also serves Downtown Austin. Formerly Route 57. |
| 670 CP | Crossing Place | E 23rd at San Jacinto — 1300 Crossing Place | Service via I-35 between E Riverside Drive and E MLK Drive. |
| 671 NR | North Riverside | E 23rd at San Jacinto — Wickersham at Elmont | Service via I-35 between E Riverside Drive and E MLK Drive. Formerly Route 58. |
| 672 LS | Lakeshore | E 23rd at San Jacinto — Lakeshore at E Riverside | Service via I-35 between E Riverside Drive and E MLK Drive. |
| 680 NR/LS | North Riverside/Lakeshore | E 23rd at San Jacinto — Wickersham at E Riverside | Overnight service, served by Route 671 and 672 during daytime. Service via I-35 between E Riverside Drive and E MLK Drive. Signed as "NR/LS Combined Route". Formerly Route 680 NR/WL, but split into two. Formerly Route 85. |
| 681 IF/FW | Intramural Fields/Far West | E 26th at San Jacinto — Village Center | Sunday afternoon and evening service, served by Routes 656 and 661 at other times. Signed as "IF/FW Combined Route". Service via Mopac Expressway between Allandale and Far West. Formerly Route 81. |
Former Routes
| Route | Name | Notes |
| 651 CR | Cameron Road | Formerly Route 51. |
| 652 PRC | Pickle Research Campus | Formerly Route 52. |
| 653 RR | Red River | Formerly Route 48. Eliminated on June 3, 2018; redundant with route 10. |
| 662 ER | Enfield Road | Formerly Route 53. |
| 673 PL | Parker Lane | Formerly Route 49. |
| 674 BD | Burton Drive | Formerly Route 84. |
| 675 WL | Wickersham Lane | Formerly Route 59. |
| 676 PB | Parker/Burton | |
| 682 BD/PL | Burton + Parker | Formerly Route 82. |
| 683 ER/LA | Enfield Road + Lake Austin | |
| 684 CR/RR | Cameron Road + Red River | Formerly Route 80. |
| 685 WL/CP | Wickersham Lane + Crossing Place | |
| CL | Campus Loop | Split into 2 routes. Was Route 54, but before that, was Route 83 FA/EC Forty Acres/East Campus. |
Local Service Routes
Capital Metro's Local routes are intended to connect specific neighborhoods of Austin to Downtown Austin, with frequent stops. Since June 2014, north–south service within downtown Austin for all routes is provided via Lavaca Street northbound and Guadalupe Street southbound, with all routes serving at least one stop along both streets.East-west service within downtown Austin for all routes is provided via 5th Street eastbound and 4th and 6th Streets westbound, so as to provide a connection along the Lavaca/Guadalupe corridor. Local service is designated by routes 1-49. Local fares apply.
Routes are current as of November 2019.
| Route | Name | Destination | Notes |
| 1 | North Lamar / South Congress | Tech Ridge Park and Ride via North Lamar Transit Center — E William Cannon at Bluff Springs via South Congress Transit Center | Some trips detour via ACC Northridge. Name was originally 1 North Lamar. Was paired with route 13 South Congress until August 2001, when route 1 North Lamar and route 13 South Congress merged into route 1 North Lamar / South Congress. From January 2006 to 2014, the Route 1 was split into two routes: 1L, which was North Lamar/South Congress, and 1M, which was Metric/South Congress, replacing route 242 Metric. In 2014, the section along Lamar became new Route 275. Interlined with Route 7 at southern terminus. Route was renamed 1 Metric / South Congress Rerouted on Lamar on June 3, 2018 due to Remap and name changed, replacing route 275. Old route via Metric covered by route 325. |
| 2 | Rosewood | San Antonio at W 4th — Airport at Springdale | High-frequency service Interlined with Routes 6 and 19 at western terminus. Was paired with route 10 South First until February 2000. Section on Ledesma, Lott, Prock, and Sara eliminated on June 3, 2018 due to Remap. |
| 3 | Burnet / Manchaca | Southpark Meadows — Great Hills at Stonelake | Interlined with Route 10 at southern terminus and with Route 392 at northern terminus. Name was originally 3 Burnet. Was paired with route 17 Johnston until February 2000; route 3 was instead paired with route 12 Manchaca. In August 2001, route 3 Burnet and route 12 Manchaca merged into route 3 Burnet / Manchaca. It extended north to the Arboretum over portions of Routes 244 and 240 in February 2002. |
| 4 | 7th Street | 5th at Campbell — 7th at Shady | High-frequency service Was paired with route 18 ML King until August 2008, when these routes were unpaired as all pairs were eliminated. Service on east of Shady on 7th, 183, and Vargas eliminated on June 3, 2018 due to Remap. As a result, the route was renamed route 4 7th Street. Also, MetroRapid service is proposed to be introduced on the remainder of the corridor as Route 804. |
| 5 | Woodrow / Lamar | Stagebrush at Monterey Oaks — Northcross Mall | Interlined with Route 323 at northern terminus. Name was originally 5 Woodrow. Was paired with route 26 Riverside until August 2008, when all pairs were eliminated; the routes were unpaired, and route 5 instead merged with route 16 South 5th / Westgate to form the 5 Woodrow / South 5th. On June 3, 2018, sections transferred to new routes 105 and 315. Service on Monterey Oaks, Staggerbrush, and Roadrunner discontinued. Rerouted on Lamar to downtown replacing part of Route 338. Name changed from Woodrow / South 5th. |
| 6 | East 12th | San Antonio at W 4th — Tannehill at Webberville | Interlined with Routes 2 and 19 at western terminus and with Route 339 at eastern terminus. |
| 7 | Duval / Dove Springs | E William Cannon at Bluff Springs — Crestview Station | High-frequency service Some trips detoured via Route 333 routing. Interlined with Route 1 at southern terminus. Name was originally 7 Duval. Was paired with route 27 Dove Springs until August 2008, when all pairs were eliminated; route 7 Duval and route 27 Dove Springs merged into route 7 Duval / Dove Springs. Route 7 extended north to current end in August 2010, replacing part of route 339 Walnut Creek / Koenig. On June 3, 2018, service on Peppertree Pkwy was discontinued. Service along Huntland, St. Johns, and Cameron was transferred to route 10 and route 300 on June 3, 2018 due to Remap. |
| 10 | South First / Red River | Southpark Meadows — Rutherford Wal-Mart | High-frequency service Some trips detoured via I-35 at E 51st. Interlined with Route 3 at southern terminus. Name was originally 10 South First. Was paired with route 2 Rosewood until February 2000; route 10 was instead paired with route 20 Manor Road. The routes were unpaired in August 2008, when all pairs were eliminated; route 10 instead merged with route 15 Red River to form route 10 South First / Red River. Service north of ACC Highland was transferred to new Route 324 on June 3, 2018 due to Remap. Parts of the old route were covered by routes 325 and 350. The Red River section is proposed to be covered by the Gold Line as part of Project Connect. |
| 17 | Cesar Chavez | 8th at Congress — Shady Lane at 5th Street | High-frequency service Was originally named 17 Johnston. Was paired with route 3 Burnet until February 2000. Service to Eastside Memorial High School discontinued on June 3, 2018 due to Remap; this section was later replaced by new Pickup service, where you can ride from that area to Route 4 or Route 17. Rerouted to ACC Riverside replacing part of route 4. Service to ACC Riverside was suspended on August 18, 2019; route 217 Montopolis Feeder replaced that section; this section will be restored when long-term construction at the US 183 and Montopolis intersection has been completed. |
| 18 | ML King | Exposition at Lake Austin — Hefflin at Springdale | High-frequency service Was paired with route 4 Montopolis until August 2008, when these routes were unpaired as all pairs were eliminated. Also, MetroRapid service is proposed to be introduced on this corridor as Route 818. |
| 19 | Bull Creek | San Antonio at W 4th — Northcross at Foster | Rerouted replacing route 23 Wood Hollow by fall 1996; the old direct route via Wood Hollow, Spicewood Springs, and Anderson was discontinued. Was paired with route 29 Barton Hills until January 1998, when these routes were unpaired. Interlined with Routes 2, 6, and 37 at western terminus and with Route 325 at northern terminus. |
| 20 | Manor / Riverside | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport — LBJ High School | High-frequency service Sometimes signed as "20 Manor Road / Riverside". Name was originally 20 Manor Road / LBJ. Portion split off as route 120 St. Johns by August 1996. Was paired with route 12 Manchaca until February 2000; route 20 was instead paired with route 10 South First. The routes were unpaired in August 2008, when all pairs were eliminated; route 20 instead merged with Route 26 Riverside to form route 20 Manor / Riverside. On June 3, 2018, rerouted directly and extended to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport replacing part of Route 350 and making Route 100 redundant, causing Route 100 to be discontinued. Portion of old route via Wickersham transferred to new route 310 Wickersham; service on Oltorf and Pleasant Valley already covered by route 300. The Riverside section is proposed to be covered by the Blue Line as part of Project Connect. Also, MetroRapid service is proposed to be introduced on the remainder of the corridor as Route 820. |
| 30 | Barton Creek Square | W 8th at Colorado — Westgate Transit Center via Barton Creek Square Mall | Signed as "30 Barton Creek". Was paired with route 28 Ben White until February 2000, when route 28 was renumbered route 328 Ben White; route 30 was paired with route 328 until August 2008, when all pairs were eliminated; as a result, route 30 was unpaired from route 328. On June 3, 2018, section to South Congress Transfer Center transferred to new Route 315. Was rerouted to the new Westgate Transit Center rather than Western Trails Boulevard in June 2019. |
MetroRapid Routes
Capital Metro's MetroRapid routes is an ostensibly bus rapid transit service serving high-traffic corridors. The service utilizes high-frequency service of every 15 minutes on weekdays with 10 minute service at rush hours. MetroRapid service is designated by routes 800–899. Local fares apply.| Route | Name | Destination | Notes |
| 801 | North Lamar / South Congress | Tech Ridge Park and Ride — Southpark Meadows | Local service provided by Routes 1 and 201. Former branch of Route 1. Section from North Lamar Transit Center to Stassney is proposed to be replaced by the Orange Line as part of Project Connect. |
| 803 | Burnet / South Lamar | The Domain — Westgate Transit Center | Local service provided by Route 3. Was rerouted to the new Westgate Transit Center rather than Western Trails Boulevard in June 2019. Is proposed to extend southwest to the proposed Oak Hill Park-and-Ride as part of Project Connect; a new split via Manchaca from Lamar to Slaughter is proposed to be created as part of Project Connect. |
Limited and Flyer routes
Capital Metro's Limited and Flyer routes are limited stop services between two destinations. Limited routes tend to have fewer stops compared to their local counterparts, while Flyer routes serve nonstop between downtown or the UT campus and their neighborhoods of service. Limited and Flyer routes are designated by routes 100–199. Local fares apply.| Route | Name | Destination | Notes |
| 103 | Manchaca Flyer | Slaughter at Manchaca — Deen Keeton at Guadalupe | Rush hour service. Service northbound in the morning peak, and southbound in the afternoon peak. Passengers may not board at points beyond Manchaca at Prather when travelling northbound. Passengers may not board at points beyond N Lamar at W 5th when travelling southbound. Renamed from route 65 Manchaca Flyer in August 2001. |
| 105 | South 5th Flyer | UT/ West Mall — Westgate Mall | Created on June 3, 2018 replacing part of Route 5 Woodrow/South 5th as part of Remap. |
| 111 | South Mopac Flyer | Escarpment at South Bay — San Jacinto at Dean Keeton | Rush hour service. Service northbound in the morning peak, and southbound in the afternoon peak. Service via Mopac Expressway between W William Cannon and W Cesar Chavez. Is proposed to be rerouted via Mopac to a new Park and Ride at Slaughter as part of Project Connect. |
| 135 | Dell Limited | E 7th at Pleasant Valley — Tech Ridge Park and Ride | Rush hour service. Service northbound in the morning peak, and southbound in the afternoon peak. Service via I-35 between Airport and Parmer. |
| 142 | Metric Flyer | S Congress at Riverside — Amherst at Duval | Rush hour service. Service southbound in the morning peak, and northbound in the afternoon peak. Service via I-35 between MLK and E Rundberg. Passengers may not board at points beyond W Rundberg at N Lamar when travelling southbound. Passengers may not board at points beyond Congress at 18th when travelling northbound. Renamed from route 62 Metric Flyer in August 2001. |
| 171 | Oak Hill Flyer | Silver Mine at SH 71 — Red River at E 32nd | Rush hour service. Service northbound in the morning peak, and southbound in the afternoon peak. Service via Mopac Expressway between W Cesar Chavez and Old Fredericksburg. Renamed from route 63 Oak Hill Flyer in August 2001. |
Feeder Routes
Capital Metro's Feeder routes are local services between a neighborhood and a major transfer point for connecting service. Feeder routes are designated by routes 200–299. Local fares apply.| Route | Name | Destination | Notes |
| 201 | Southpark Meadows | Akins High School — E William Cannon at Bluff Springs | Some service short-turns at Southpark Meadows. |
| 214 | Northwest Feeder | Thunderbird at Dawn — Lakeline Station | Renamed from route 102 Lago Vista Feeder in August 2000. Renamed from route 214 Lago Vista Feeder. |
| 217 | Montopolis Feeder | Shady Lane at 5th Street — ACC Riverside | High-frequency service Temporary route created on August 18, 2019 replacing portion of route 17 Cesar Chavez; will become part of route 17 again when long-term construction at the US 183 and Montopolis intersection has been completed. |
| 228 | VA Clinic | Metropolis at Veteran's Center — ACC Riverside | Renamed from route 328 Ben White in August 2010. On June 3, 2018, changed from route 228 Burleson. Service on Burleson, 71, Todd, and Woodward discontinued due to low ridership. Rerouted replacing part of route 331 Oltorf. |
| 233 | Far Northeast Feeder | Manor at Ed Bluestein — Loyola at Wentworth | |
| 237 | Northeast Feeder | Manor at Ed Bluestein — 9301 Hog Eye | |
| 243 | Wells Branch | Howard Station — Tech Ridge Park and Ride | Replaced part of route 242 Metric. |
| 271 | Del Valle Flex | ACC Riverside — Rass Road | Created in January 2010. |
Crosstown Routes
Capital Metro's Crosstown routes are local services between two neighborhoods of Austin, for which the route does not pass through Downtown Austin or the University of Texas. Crosstown routes are designated by routes 300–399. Local fares apply.| Route | Name | Destination | Notes |
| 300 | Govalle | Crestview Station — Westgate Transit Center | High-frequency service Interlined with routes 350 and 383 at northern terminus; renamed from route 8 Govalle in August 2001. Extended south from Oltorf & Burton in August 2010 due to elimination of route 9 Enfield / Travis Heights. Rerouted to Westgate Mall on June 3, 2018 due to Remap. Old route to south Congress Transfer Center transferred to then-new route 310 Wickersham. Also rerouted on 51st, Cameron, and St. Johns. Old Route along Berkman transferred to route 10. Service on Rogge was discontinued, but was later restored by Pickup, where you can ride to any bus stop in the Pickup service area and take a bus from there. Was rerouted to the new Westgate Transit Center rather than Western Trails Boulevard in June 2019. |
| 310 | Wickersham | ACC Riverside — South Congress Transit Center | Created June 3, 2018 replacing parts of route 20, route 331, and route 300 as part of Remap. Was rerouted to the new Westgate Transit Center rather than Western Trails Boulevard around June 2019. |
| 311 | Stassney | ACC Riverside — Westgate Transit Center | High-frequency service Interlined with Route 338 at western terminus. Renamed from route 111 Stassney in February 2000. On June 3, 2018, split, and the section east of the Wal-Mart was renamed the new route 339 Tuscany as part of Remap. |
| 324 | Georgian / Ohlen | Northcross at Foster — Highland Station | Interlined with route 19 at western terminus. Created on June 3, 2018 replacing parts of route 10, route 240, and route 325 due to Remap. |
| 325 | Metric / Rundberg | Tech Ridge Park and Ride — Rutherford Wal-Mart | High-frequency service Renamed from route 25 Ohlen in February 2000. On June 3, 2018, rerouted to Tech Ridge Park and Ride replacing part of Route 1 and name was changed from 325 Ohlen due to Remap. Old route to Northcross transferred to new route 324 Georgian/Ohlen. |
| 333 | William Cannon | ACC Pinnacle — Onion Creek at Pleasant Valley / Thaxton at Panadero | High-frequency service east of Brodie Trips eastbound serve one terminus before serving the other terminus; the first terminus served depends on time of day and day of week. Renamed from Route 33 William Cannon in February 2000. On June 3, 2018, rerouted so that it alternates between serving William Cannon/Brush Country and serving both Convict Hill/Woodcreek and ACC Pinnacle. |
| 335 | 35th / 38th Street | Exposition at Westover — Mueller | Created on June 3, 2018 replacing part of route 21/22 due to Remap. |
| 337 | Koenig/Colony Park | Balcones at Burnet — Colony Loop at Decker | Created June 3, 2018 as a renumbering of route 37 Colony Park and was rerouted west over part of Route 320. |
| 339 | Tuscany | Rutherford Wal-Mart — Manor at Ed Bluestein | Interlined with Route 323 at western terminus and with route 6 at eastern terminus. Created on June 3, 2018 replacing part of Route 323 as part of Remap. Only a small portion was part of the old route 339 Walnut Creek-Koenig. |
| 345 | 45th Street | Burnet at North Loop — Hancock Shopping Center | Created on June 3, 2018 replacing part of route 338 due to Remap. Is proposed to be extended west to Bull Creek. |
| 350 | Airport Boulevard | North Lamar Transit Center — ACC Riverside | Interlined with routes 300 and 383 at northern terminus. Created as a merge of Route 32 Airport Boulevard and Route 46 Bergstrom in February 2000 and part of Route 8 Govalle. Section south of ACC Riverside transferred to Route 20 on June 3, 2018 due to Remap. |
| 383 | Research | North Lamar Transit Center — Lakeline Station | Interlined with Routes 300 and 350 at southern terminus. |
| 392 | Braker | Kramer Station — Tech Ridge Park and Ride | Interlined with route 3 at western terminus. Service to the Arboretum discontinued on June 3, 2018 due to Remap and was replaced by Route 383. |
Special Services
Capital Metro's Special services are routes that do not fit in any other category. Special Services are designated as routes 400–499, with the exception of Round Rock service, which instead designates routes as 50–99. Local fares apply.| Route | Name | Destination | Notes |
| 50 | Round Rock Howard Station | Hesters Crossing / Kouri – ACC Round Rock | Created in August 2016. The limited-stop portion split off as Route 150 in January 2020. |
| 51 | Round Rock Circulator | Louis Henna at I-35 – Park Valley at Oakwood | Created in August 2016. |
| 150 | Round Rock Howard Station Limited | Howard Station – Hesters Crossing / Kouri | Created in January 2020 replacing limited-stop portion of Route 50. |
| 152 | Round Rock Tech Ridge Limited | Tech Ridge Station – Baghdad at Brown | Created in August 2016 as Route 52. Renumbered Route 152 in January 2020 because route is limited-stop. |
| 410 | E-Bus West Campus | Nueces at W 27th — Colorado at W 6th | Late night and overnight service. No service during summer months. |
| 411 | E-Bus Riverside | Crossing Place — Colorado at W 6th | Late night and overnight service. No service during summer months. |
| 412 | E-Bus Main Campus | Guadalupe at W 21st — Colorado at W 6th | Late night and overnight service. No service during summer months. |
| 455 | Leander Shuttle | Leander Station — Lakeline Station | Saturday service only. |
| 465 | UT MetroRail Connector | San Jacinto at E 23rd — MLK Jr. Station | |
| 466 | Kramer/Domain MetroRail Connector | Pickle Research Campus — ACC Northridge via Kramer Station | Circular service, runs counterclockwise. Alternates between serving Pickle Research Campus and ACC Northridge. Is proposed to be converted to a local route as part of Project Connect. |
| 481 | Night Owl North Lamar | 6th at Congress — N Lamar at W Rundberg | Overnight route. Was named route 481 Night Owl North until August 2012. |
| 483 | Night Owl Riverside | 6th at Congress — Oltorf at Burton | Overnight route. Was named route 483 Night Owl Southeast until August 2012. |
| 484 | Night Owl South Lamar | 6th at Congress — Victory at Ben White | Overnight route. Section along South 1st eliminated August 2012 and renamed so South 1st was not in the name. |
| 485 | Night Owl Cameron | 6th at Congress — Rutherford Wal-Mart | Overnight route. Consolidated and replaced part of route 482 Night Owl East August 2012. Old route along IH-35 and Cameron eliminated. |
| 486 | Night Owl South Congress | 6th at Congress — Pleasant Valley at E William Cannon | Overnight route. Renamed from 486 Night Owl Dove Springs in August 2012 and rerouted off of William Cannongoing east. |
| 490 | HEB Shuttle | E Riverside at Pleasant Valley — RBJ Center / E Cesar Chavez at Trinity | Midday service only, services four days a week. Monday and Thursday service terminates at E Cesar Chavez at Trinity. Wednesday and Friday service terminates at RBJ Center. Renamed from Route 90 HEB Shuttle in February 2001. |
| 491 | Allandale | N Lamar at W 38th — Rockwood at Ashdale | Midday service only, services Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Curb-to-curb paratransit service operating along fixed route. Renamed from Route 151 Allandale. One part renamed route 161 Delwood, and later route 492 Delwood. |
| 492 | Delwood | Hancock Center — Rutherford Wal-Mart | Midday service only, services Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Curb-to-curb paratransit service operating along fixed route. Renamed from route 161 Delwood. |
| 493 | Eastview | Airport & Oak Springs — Downtown Austin | Midday service only, services Monday. |
Express Routes
Capital Metro's Express services are limited stop services that run between Downtown Austin and the far suburbs. Express routes are designated as routes 900–999, and are served exclusively by buses in the red "MetroExpress" livery. Commuter fares apply.| Route | Name | Destination | Notes |
| 935 | Tech Ridge Express | E Riverside at I-35 — Tech Ridge Park and Ride | Rush hour service. Service southbound in the morning peak, and northbound in the afternoon peak. Service via I-35 between MLK Jr. and Parmer. Passengers may not board at any point other than at Tech Ridge Park and Ride when travelling southbound. Some trips are interlined with route 135 at Tech Ridge Park and Ride. Renamed from route 79 Pflugerville Express in May 2000. |
| 980 | North Mopac Express | Dean Keeton at Speedway — Century Park at Ida Ridge | Has three additional trips in each direction to Baghdad at Brown in Round Rock during peak hours only. Passengers may not board at points past Howard station when travelling southbound. |
| 981 | Oak Knoll Express | Dean Keeton at Speedway — Pavilion Park and Ride | Has three trips in each direction only during peak hours. Passengers may not board at points past Guadalupe at W 8th when travelling southbound. |
| 982 | Pavilion Express | W 4th at Guadalupe — Pavilion Park and Ride | Rush hour and midday service. Rush hour service is southbound in the morning peak and northbound in the afternoon peak; midday service is in both directions. Passengers may not board at points past W 38th at N Lamar when travelling in either direction. |
| 985 | Leander/Lakeline Direct | San Jacinto at Dean Keeton — Leander Station via Lakeline Station | All day on weekdays. Saturday evening service until Saturday MetroRail is resumed. Passengers may not board at points past Lakeline Station when travelling southbound. |
| 987 | Leander/Northwest Express | E Riverside at I-35 — Leander Station via Lakeline Station | Rush hour service. Service southbound in the morning peak, and northbound in the afternoon peak. Passengers may not board at points past Lakeline Station when travelling southbound. |
| 990 | Manor/Elgin Express | W 2nd at Guadalupe — Elgin Depot | Rush hour service. Service westbound in the morning peak, and eastbound in the afternoon peak. Service between Manor Park and Ride and Elgin Depot is provided by Capital Metro on behalf of CARTS; passengers must pay an additional CARTS fare when travelling further east than Manor Park and Ride in either direction. Renamed from route 103 Manor Express in August 2000. |
MetroRail
Capital Metro's train service, Capital MetroRail, is designated routes in the 500–599 series. Commuter fares apply.| Route | Name | Destination | Notes |
| 550 | Red Line | Downtown Station — Leander Station | Rush hour service to Leander Station only; midday service terminates at Kramer Station or Lakeline Station. |
Former Routes
Vehicles
The majority of the current bus fleet consists of vehicles produced by two manufacturers, Gillig and New Flyer, with only relatively small generational design variations, most visibly in the use of flip-dot destination displays on older series versus LED displays on newer buses. A few smaller series of buses were acquired from other manufacturers, notably Optima and MCI. Older bus series produced by TMC and Blue Bird are no longer in service.Capital MetroRapid
In January 2014, Capital Metro launched a Bus Rapid Transit service branded "MetroRapid," utilizing articulated buses operating in shared lanes with automobile traffic. Service on the first route, MetroRapid North Lamar/South Congress, began on January 26, 2014. It replaced existing bus Routes 1L and 1M, as well as the 101 Express, which traveled along the same corridor.A second route, MetroRapid Burnet/South Lamar, serves a total of 24 stations between The Domain and Westgate. Both the 801 and 803 drew citizen protest until premium fares were discontinued in 2017 and the 801 had also reduced frequency of the then operating 1L/1M.
Capital MetroRail
In 2004, after four years of additional lobbying by Capital Metro, Capital Metro won approval to build a commuter rail on existing freight rail lines. In September 2005, Capital Metro awarded a contract to Stadler Rail to build six diesel-electric rail cars for the system, each possessing a capacity of up to 200 passengers. The Capital MetroRail opened March 22, 2010.Fare structure
NOTE: all fares are free since April 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak up to further notice.Capital Metro operates routes using three different fare classes: Local, Commuter and Access. Fares are valid for a single trip only; Capital Metro does not issue bus transfers. However, Capital Metro offers passengers an unlimited ride day pass, good for travel on any route of the same or lower fare class, for the price of two single fares of the corresponding fare class. 24- hour, 7-day passes and 31-day passes are also available for frequent riders.
Passes may be purchased in physical form in select retailers, or at MetroRail stations. Passes are also available for purchase when boarding a bus for the same or higher fare class. Passes may be purchased in digital form via the Capital Metro app.
All fare information is current as of January 2017.
Holders of valid Reduced Fare IDs issued by Capital Metro may ride Capital Metro services for half the listed price. Capital Metro also offer stored value tickets in denominations of $20 and $40.
Holders of physical passes must swipe the magnetic stripe on their pass when boarding a bus. Holders of stored value tickets must tap their tickets when boarding a bus. Holders of digital passes must scan their passes in a QR code reader aboard MetroRapid buses, or show the smartphone app red screen to the driver on all other buses. MetroRail operates on a proof-of-payment system; passengers must show proof upon request. Holders of the Reduced Fare ID may be asked to show Id.
Fares are waived for passengers under 6 with an accompanying adult, as well as emergency and military personnel in uniform. Through separate paid agreements with Capital Metro, students, faculty, and staff of both the University of Texas and Austin Community College, as well as City of Austin employees, may ride all Capital Metro services for no charge with valid identification.
Capital MetroAccess, the paratransit system operated by Capital Metro, operates on a separate fare scale:
| Fare Type | Price |
| Single Ride | $1.75 |
| 10-Ride Ticket Book | $17.50 |
| Monthly Pass | $46.50 |
Persons eligible to use MetroAccess services may ride on Capital Metro buses and trains at the reduced rate. Holders of the MetroAccess monthly pass may use their pass as a Capital Metro 31-Day Commuter pass.
Finances and governance
Board of directors
In 2010 the total number of board members was increased from seven to eight. The Texas Legislature also reduced the number of elected officials who are required to serve on the board, and instituted new requirements regarding the professional experience of certain appointees. The board consists of three members appointed by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, including an elected official; one member representing the small cities in Capital Metro's service area; a member each appointed by the Travis County Commissioners and Williamson County commissioners; and two members appointed by the Austin City Council, in which one must be a member of the Austin City Council.Labor relations
As a public entity, Capital Metro is prohibited by Texas law from entering into a traditional collective bargaining agreement with a labor union in the United States. In 1991, however, to comply fully with a state law prohibiting public entities from supervising unionized employees with collective bargaining rights, the Capital Metro board determined that its unionized employees and their supervisors should be transferred to a separate non-profit company. In January 1992, Capital Metro created Startran, Inc., a private entity that acts as the authority's agent in managing its unionized workforce.On the other hand, Metro drivers and mechanics are represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union, a major labor union representing workers in the transit system that boasts over 188,000 members representing workers. StarTran and the AUT have in the past had troubled contract negotiations, that most recently resulted in a general strike in November 2008.
In 2008, StarTran voted to begin a general strike, despite the fact that StarTran employees were already the highest paid bus operators in the state. Beginning on November 5, 2008, the strike caused the transit agency to reduce its fixed and paratransit service levels, particularly impacting Austin residents who had to use public transit. During the strike, the agency initially provided only those routes on the contingency map for a reduced number of hours but added others as resources became available. The Sunset Advisory Commission released its report on Capital Metro in April 2010.
Capital Metro also contracts with two other service providers for bus operations, First Transit, Veolia Transport and the Capital Area Rural Transportation System. First Transit provides shuttle service for University of Texas students, faculty and staff.