Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
CARTS expands on‑demand zone in Bastrop, adds vehicle and unified app; fares remain low
Summary
CARTS announced an enlarged on‑demand zone in Bastrop, an additional vehicle funded by TxDOT to reduce wait times, fare options including $2 one‑way and $6 daily pass, free rides for seniors on country bus routes, and plans for e‑bike stations and a unified app.
Representatives from CARTS (Capital Area Rural Transportation System) told council members they had expanded the city’s on‑demand microtransit zone and recently added vehicle capacity, cutting wait times for riders and increasing service availability.
Dana Platt, communications director for CARTS, said the on‑demand service (CARTS Now) runs Monday–Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., uses the Carts Now smartphone app (with a call‑center option for those without smart devices), and now covers about three more miles of the city than the original zone. Platt said fares are $2 one‑way, a day pass is $6 and a monthly pass is $88; children 12 and up ride at no charge. She said seniors 60+ may ride the county “country bus” at no charge through an Area Agency on Aging partnership.
Platt said the system received TxDOT service expansion funds and that an additional vehicle was added in March, which reduced wait times from roughly 5–7 minutes. CARTS staff are also developing a single app to consolidate fixed interurban routes, country bus services and Carts Now bookings, and they plan promotional outreach with the city.
On the horizon, CARTS described proposed e‑bike rental stations at the Bastrop station and a nearby mobility hub, improvements to the Bastrop park & ride, and potential commuter routes if additional grant funding is secured. No formal council action was required.
