To address gaps in rural public transportation, The Texas Department of Transportation’s Public Transportation Division partnered with the Texas Transportation Institute in 2018 to assess the needs of the state’s 36 rural transit districts or RTDs. The study found that an additional $41 million annually was needed to provide a basic service level of 14 hours per day, Monday through Friday. A 2023 update estimated another $60 million per year would be required to extend weekday service to 16 hours and add weekend service. Through this project, 19 RTDs launched 28 service expansion projects – introducing 11 new transportation options in underserved or unserved areas and enhancing service in 17 others. Costing $20.1 million in total, these transit service expansions have increased access to jobs, medical care, shopping, and daily necessities within rural communities and nearby urban areas. In many places, this grant-funded public transit is the only affordable transportation option, especially for transit-dependent residents. The project encouraged innovative mobility options, such as micro-transit services, offering higher levels of service and access than traditional fixed route services. These services allowed for seamless transitions to other modal services, such as traditional fixed route-fixed schedule service connecting into major regional destinations. Made possible through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the project was specifically conceived to leverage additional rural area funding included from that legislation.
America's Transportation Awards 