Insert record scratch sound here.
Metro officials dropped plans to spend an additional $4.1 million on a microtransit pilot program overseen by Evolve Houston, a nonprofit organization previously led by Metro Chairperson Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock.
The move was a sharp reversal from Metro’s original plan to extend Evolve’s pilot program into next year. Brock, other Metro officials and Evolve President and Executive Director Casey Brown had previously called the service a crucial lifeline for Houstonians who need transportation.
Instead, Metro’s board voted Thursday to spend $2.3 million on a similar service with a contractor that currently operates the transit agency’s MetroLift and curb2curb programs.
Interim CEO and president Thomas Jasien announced a plan to continue Metro’s on-demand electric shuttle service, the “Community Connector,” by bringing it in-house through an existing agreement with MV Transportation. The funding is part of a broader contract related to MetroLift and microtransit minivan services.
“While this represents a short-term solution, I’m confident it will lead us to a long-term solution we’ve been working toward,” Jasien said.
If Metro had secured city council approval for the $4.1 million, it would raise the existing interlocal agreement with Evolve and the city of Houston to $6 million and extend the service through September 2026. The majority of the Metro board wanted to avoid disruptions for riders who depended on the service when Evolve’s contract ends Dec. 31.
Yet at Thursday’s board meeting, Evolve’s supporters — including Brock and Jasien — did not explain what happened to last month’s approved funding increase for the nonprofit’s pilot services.
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On Thursday, Metro announced in a news release that the Community Connector was transitioning from a pilot program to a Metro-led microtransit service through MV Transportation — but made no mention of any future with Evolve. Metro also didn’t say whether microtransit rides would remain free for passengers.
The city of Houston didn’t respond to questions about why there wasn’t a vote for the extension in this week’s agenda. In Metro’s news release, Mayor John Whitmire said he was proud of the agency for stepping forward to lead its microtransit service into its next chapter.
“This is what progress looks like in Houston,” said Whitmire, who had previously praised Evolve and is listed as a founding member of the nonprofit. “Collaboration and a shared commitment to making it easier for everyone to get where they need to go.”
His statement made no mention of Evolve.
Brown, Evolve’s president and executive director, said in an email that Evolve is proud to be part of the Community Connector pilot program and its success. He didn’t address what’s in store for the nonprofit, now that its tenure at Metro appears to be coming to an end soon.
“Our core mission remains focused on accelerating transportation technology across the Greater Houston region,” he wrote.
When asked why Metro officials weren’t able to move forward with the increase in funding for Evolve, Metro spokesperson Anna Carpenter said in an email that the board approved the new plan with its current contractor because demand for the service is growing quickly, the public supports it, a study backed it up, and the existing contract with MV Transportation allows Metro to keep the service running while bringing it into its transit system.
MV Transportation hasn’t responded to requests for comment.
Jasien said in Metro’s board meeting Thursday that a recent Ernst & Young assessment — a comprehensive efficiency study used by government officials — recommended that Metro assume direct responsibility for the microtransit service. He added that it would be the first step toward a more permanent, Metro-controlled microtransit program.
Board member Treviño was one of the board members who voted “no” on the new microtransit plan, citing two concerns. He said the board had already approved the increase in funding for the interlocal agreement with Evolve, and the proposal to work with MV Transportation was not mentioned at a committee meeting last month. He noted that he received the Ernst & Young report two days before the vote authorizing the contract revision with MV Transportation.
“Now we’re taking an action on a procurement that had different requirements than the service we’re adding to it,” he said. “So, based on the information I have, or lack thereof, I won’t be supporting this item.”
See here for the previous update. I have no idea what’s going on here. I mean, the whole deal with Evolve was hinky and I prefer that Metro do this in house, but how we got from where we were just a few days before to where we are now is a mystery and it shouldn’t be. We really should know more.
As for the expenditure on microtransit and the aggressive embrace of it, I’m fine that we have such a service, I just don’t think it’s doing nearly enough to actually improve mobility in Houston, especially given the cost. And that’s before we take into account the continued insult of the refusal to implement the MetroNext referendum that was overwhelmingly approved in 2019. Again, we deserve so much more.
I missed the fact that the Heights North and South zones were merged.
When I tried to call one last Wednesday (4:30pm), it timed out after 5 minutes three times in a row.
So, I had a 1.5 mile walk to pick up my bicycle at Blue Line.