Over the past week, in an effort to improve the reliability of its MetroRail service, Capital Metro tried out a test schedule designed to reduce delays, moving arrival times up 10 minutes at each stop.
And on Thursday the agency announced the tweaked times were such a success that it will operate on the new schedule through June, when it overhauls the entire bus system as part of the Connections 2025 plan.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the MetroRail schedule will change again, but there is a possibility the bus system changes so dramatically that Cap Metro has to make a few tweaks to the MetroRail to coordinate the two systems.
In a statement announcing the changes, recently anointed President and CEO Randy Clarke thanked riders for their patience. “We know that in recent months, our service hasn’t been as reliable as it had been in the past, but I am confident that this new schedule will provide the on-time service” that Austinites desire.
The MetroRail’s changes mark just the start of a few big new things. Cap Metro hopes the eventual opening of a permanent Downtown Station at 401 E. Fourth will double frequency and capacity on trains, and crews are installing passing points in anticipation of a beefed-up system. Unfortunately that will mean intermittent “service disruptions” for the rest of the year.
Find specific departure times at www.capmetro.org/railroutes.
This article appears in March 30 • 2018 and March 23 • 2018.