The city of New Braunfels is pushing forward a microtransit service called “Ride the Rio!”, which is scheduled to launch in early 2025.
This new initiative is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to improve public transportation and meet residents’ growing mobility needs, said Garry Ford, the city’s director of transportation and capital improvements, at an Aug. 6 meeting of the New Braunfels Downtown Association.
How we got here
The push for public transit expansion in New Braunfels began with the City Council’s approval of a hybrid transit plan in November 2023, as previously reported by Impact on the communityThe plan includes both on-demand microtransit and fixed bus routes and is intended to improve transportation options within the city.
The initiative follows the city’s recent creation of the New Braunfels Urban Transit District – now recognized by both the State of Texas and the Federal Transit Administration – which paved the way for the upcoming “Ride the Rio!” service.
The details
The microtransit project will be implemented in three phases, Ford said:
- Stage 1: Establishment of microtransit service from early 2025.
- Stage 2: Consider adding local fixed routes based on the performance of the original service and community needs.
- Stage 3: Add additional services as needed based on further evaluation and demand.
The service will provide on-demand transportation where passengers can share vehicles and routing and scheduling are flexible to meet demand, Ford said. Options are planned for both “stop-to-stop” and “curb-to-curb” transportation.
According to Julie Sitton, transportation coordinator for the city of New Braunfels, the microtransit service will operate Monday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Within city limits, she proposes a fare of $2 per ride.
All vehicles would be accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Sitton said, and passengers could request vehicles by phone, through the website or through a soon-to-be-developed app.
The Schedule
The city’s transit plan will include the following dates, Ford said:
- September 2024: The city will issue a request for proposals for a turnkey microtransit service provider. This means that the provider will deliver a complete, operational transit system with everything needed to operate.
- End of 2024Note: The city plans to award the contract to the selected provider.
- Beginning of 2025: The launch of the service is planned subject to FTA approval.
To ease the transition, Ford said the city will continue current on-demand service with Alamo Regional Transit through March 2025 to ensure consistent transportation options.
