On Monday, Mayor John Whitmire and METRO leaders announced the MetroNow strategy, which focuses on improving security, cleanliness, and increasing ridership in Houston. The plan includes adding 350 new buses, expanding the METRO Curb2Curb program to offer free rides within designated zones, and replacing 100 MetroLift vehicles for passengers with special mobility needs, as reported by CW39.
The new initiative focuses on improving passenger safety, with Ban Tien appointed as the new head of police. METRO's Board Chair, Elizabeth Gonzales Brock, stated, "We will take back our buses and our shelters and our transit system from the homeless and get back to our intended mission." METRO is also investing $7 million into security resources, including drones and upgraded surveillance systems at key transit centers, according to Houston Chronicle.
MetroNow plans to improve cleanliness by increasing cleaning schedules for buses and trains, using street sweepers, and deploying vacuum trucks to keep streets clean. The $10 million budget will expand microtransit services, including small, electric shuttles. Brock stated, "This is quickly becoming one of our more popular services." Peter Eccles, Director of Policy and Planning at LINK Houston, said, "The main themes that Metro talked about — safe, clean, reliable, accessible — are the fundamentals of a good transit system," as stated by Houston Chronicle.
