David Wolff

Metro working to serve all

Chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Sep 28, 09.

Tagged with transportation, transit, light rail, metro

• • Houston now has, for the first time in many years, a congressional delegation that is united in its support of mass transit, of Metro and of the need for us all to work together as we compete nationally for the limited amount of federal dollars which are so needed to fund expansion of our light rail system. Fortunately, some very powerful anti-transit forces are no longer able to hamper these efforts. Therefore, as U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood told me during his recent visit to Houston, “I can now see that Houston finally has its act together.”

• • Metro has succeeded in obtaining major federal funding for light rail for the first time in our city’s history. This is important because our board and management have worked hard to build Metro’s credibility by improving our bus service and our fleet, by operating Metro in a businesslike way and by succeeding in the crushing, oft-times frustrating competition for Federal Transit Administration approval and dollars.

• • This credibility was confirmed this month in a joint poll by KHOU (Channel 11) and KUHF (Houston Public Radio) which showed that the public approves of the job Metro is doing by a more than two-to-one margin (second only to HPD). I think this good report card is due to the quality service Metro provides at a fair price. Our base fare of $1.25 is among the lowest in the country. In Dallas the cost is $1.75 and in places like New York the cost is $2.50. We continue to improve the quality of service by: purchasing 100 new hybrid-electric buses each year, providing new park and ride service to Baytown, Pasadena and soon Pearland, adding express Signature service to the Texas Medical Center and by enhancing training programs through partnerships with Houston Community College. Contrary to those who suggest reducing fares, my belief is that providing good service at a reasonable price will attract and retain more riders over the long haul.

• • And, most importantly, we are now finally under construction on the first three of five light rail lines totaling 30 miles and approved by the voters in the 2003 referendum. We plan to have all of these lines completed and in operation in the next three to four years. These lines will connect and improve the city as never before and, although we are far behind many of our peers, we are at least a major step forward.

Full story: Metro working to serve all citizens
Source: Houston Chronicle, September 26, 2009

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