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Park and Ride making strides
By MARK FLEMING
After nearly three months of operation, the Park and Ride Service between Pasadena Town Square Mall and downtown Houston is gaining momentum, according to David Jones, transit operations manager for Harris County.
The Pasadena Park and Ride operates on weekday mornings from Pasadena to downtown Houston, with transfer available to the medical center, and makes return runs in the afternoon.
Jones said there were 421 boardings in April, which increased slightly to 427 in May. The June count, though, jumped 62 percent to 684 boardings for the month, an average of 31 daily.
When the one-year trial of the Park and Ride was started, county officials said the service needs to reach 50 daily boardings to be considered viable.
The Pasadena Park and Ride service is provided by Harris County Transit, though buses are operated through a contract with Metro.
It is the county’s second Park and Ride service to provide transportation to communities outside the Metro service area.
Jones said the first, which started in Baytown in October of 2007, started with greater numbers but did not show as much of an increase in its early months.
He said Metro’s experience is that most Park and Rides decline in ridership in summer months, so the large increase for June is especially encouraging.
The county is close to beginning a series of radio public service announcements promoting the service, he said. Also they will be producing brochures about it for distribution within about two or three miles of Town Square Mall.
While the mall location is the only one in Pasadena, much of the city is located close to the Fuqua and Bay Area locations, which are both in Houston.
Jones said the county is also in very preliminary stages of considering a circulator service that would provide local transportation to San Jacinto College Central Campus in Pasadena, as well as the college’s north campus.
The successful introduction of the Park and Ride service in Baytown was followed about a year later by the addition of circulator service in that community, which has also been showing strong growth.
For schedule, route and fare information, call Harris County Transit at (713) 578-2216 or go to www.harriscountytransit.com.
Metro also has schedule information, as well and information about connecting services. For Metro, call (713) 635-4000 or go to www.ridemetro.org.
The Pasadena Park and Ride operates on weekday mornings from Pasadena to downtown Houston, with transfer available to the medical center, and makes return runs in the afternoon.
Jones said there were 421 boardings in April, which increased slightly to 427 in May. The June count, though, jumped 62 percent to 684 boardings for the month, an average of 31 daily.
When the one-year trial of the Park and Ride was started, county officials said the service needs to reach 50 daily boardings to be considered viable.
The Pasadena Park and Ride service is provided by Harris County Transit, though buses are operated through a contract with Metro.
It is the county’s second Park and Ride service to provide transportation to communities outside the Metro service area.
Jones said the first, which started in Baytown in October of 2007, started with greater numbers but did not show as much of an increase in its early months.
He said Metro’s experience is that most Park and Rides decline in ridership in summer months, so the large increase for June is especially encouraging.
The county is close to beginning a series of radio public service announcements promoting the service, he said. Also they will be producing brochures about it for distribution within about two or three miles of Town Square Mall.
While the mall location is the only one in Pasadena, much of the city is located close to the Fuqua and Bay Area locations, which are both in Houston.
Jones said the county is also in very preliminary stages of considering a circulator service that would provide local transportation to San Jacinto College Central Campus in Pasadena, as well as the college’s north campus.
The successful introduction of the Park and Ride service in Baytown was followed about a year later by the addition of circulator service in that community, which has also been showing strong growth.
For schedule, route and fare information, call Harris County Transit at (713) 578-2216 or go to www.harriscountytransit.com.
Metro also has schedule information, as well and information about connecting services. For Metro, call (713) 635-4000 or go to www.ridemetro.org.
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