In a low-profile December move that is now getting plenty of attention, Houston's transit agency scrapped a planned $4.1 million extension of its Community Connector microtransit pilot and shifted control away from nonprofit Evolve Houston after an internal review flagged serious problems with how the service was running. The board action quietly sidelined a big expansion of the free, app-booked electric shuttles that had been rolling through neighborhoods, including the Third Ward and downtown. Metro officials say riders will still see the same service in the near term under an existing contractor while the agency works microtransit into its regular operations.
Ernst & Young Review Finds Big Gaps In Reliability And Oversight
A review by Ernst & Young, obtained via DocumentCloud, found that roughly 43% of rider requests in the pilot went unfulfilled and detailed frequent cancellations, limited hours and long waits. The assessment also pointed to major oversight gaps, including a lack of Metro-controlled driver background checks, few wheelchair-accessible vehicles for much of the pilot and data holes big enough to block proper federal reporting.
The firm concluded that "service maturity is outpacing pilot parameters" and recommended folding the project into Metro's standard contracting setup to tighten accountability and prepare the system for big moments on the horizon, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Board Backs Away From Evolve Deal And Leans On MV Transportation
Following the review, Metro's board reversed an earlier plan to tack on $4.1 million to its interlocal agreement with Evolve and instead approved about $2.3 million to keep the Community Connector running through June under MV Transportation, the contractor that already operates MetroLift and curb2curb. Interim CEO Thomas Jasien cast the decision as a move toward bringing microtransit firmly under Metro's oversight.
Riders were told they would keep using the same RYDE vehicles, the Circuit app and Metro customer service during the short-term transition, according to the Houston Chronicle. Some board members, however, objected that the procurement shift landed on their agenda with minimal public notice and questioned how the process unfolded.
Evolve Defends The Pilot And Plots A Pivot
Casey Brown, president and executive director of Evolve, told the Houston Chronicle the nonprofit had deliberately limited the fleet while it tested demand under tight funding. "It's really exciting to be part of that story," Brown said, noting that a wheelchair-accessible shuttle was added in mid-December and that RYDE, the vehicle provider, handled its own driver background checks.
Brown said Evolve plans to shift its attention more toward transportation innovation and away from running day-to-day transit services over the long haul.
Riders Got More Service, And More Strain With It
The Ernst & Young review did not just highlight problems. It also found that in some parts of the pilot, ridership climbed about 38%, and downtown usage jumped by roughly 500%. About 46% of trips began or ended at Metro stops, underscoring the shuttle's role as a first-and-last-mile link to the larger transit network.
At the same time, the report warned that growth had outpaced the pilot's resources and that limited data made it hard to meet Federal Transit Administration reporting standards. That combination helped drive Metro's recommendation to consolidate the service, according to DocumentCloud. The tension was clear: strong neighborhood demand set against missed rides and shaky reporting, all of which framed Metro's decision to fold microtransit into its existing contracting and oversight systems.
What Comes Next For Houston's Microtransit Experiment
Over the next several months, Metro plans to keep the Community Connector running under the MV Transportation agreement while it works on tighter driver screening, better accessibility and more robust data collection. Riders and transit advocates will be watching closely to see whether plugging the service into Metro's usual procurement and reporting machinery actually makes it more reliable without undercutting a free, neighborhood-focused shuttle that many residents have already built into their daily routines.
