Houston's transportation woes are mounting as the Metropolitan Transit Authority's new autonomous shuttle hits roadblocks before it can even hit the pavement, while the University of Houston students grapple with a shuttle permit system that leads to missed classes and costly commutes.
First up, the much-touted driverless Metro shuttle, intended to ease transit around the TSU and University of Houston campuses, has hit a speed bump due to "warranty issues", according to the Houston Chronicle. The vehicle was supposed to welcome passengers by the end of February but now looks to a March start, with actual service potentially kicking off as late as April or May. Tracy Jackson, a Metro spokeswoman, told the Chronicle, "We just needed to wait for someone from the manufacturer to address the issues with the base vehicle... There are no issues with the automation." In 2019, an earlier shuttle test was pulled after similar issues cropped up in other locations.
Shifting gears to the University of Houston, students are experiencing a logistical nightmare of their own. After moving its College of Technology to Sugar Land, the university's shuttle system is struggling to keep up with the new demand. Passes intended for students traveling between campuses sold out almost exclusively during a priority period, leaving many faced with either paying for expensive ride-hailing services or jumping through hoops for alternative public transport, as detailed by Chron.
Hassan Qazi, a sophomore, has had to adjust to earlier mornings and cumbersome commutes. "I don't mind paying for the permit as long as I get one," Qazi told Chron, but as permits quickly ran out, students like him were left stranded and considering dropping classes to accommodate the inconvenient schedules. Precious Sowunmi, a junior at the university, secured a free pass but found out that the shuttle buses are now operating under capacity: "Now when I'm going on the bus, it's empty. Max 15 people are in that bus, and it's just completely empty," she said.
The convolution of the issue is exemplified by Carrie Elter's situation, as the sophomore has classes at irregular hours and can't synchronize with Fort Bend Transit's routes, which cater more to typical commuters. "It's always on my mind how I'm going to get home when I should be thinking about studying and my academics," Elter lamented.
Despite the problems, the University of Houston is implementing changes, stating that shuttle permits will now be made available free of charge to certain groups of affected students.
