CapMetro on fast track to gain riders

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Capital Metro's board of directors rail committee is meeting Wednesday to discuss ideas to increase ridership, which includes pumping $230,000 into that effort.

The MetroRail completed its second full month of service May 2010.

After years of delays and millions of dollars above budget, CapMetro's rail service rolled on the tracks at 5:25 a.m. March 23 with just 75 riders.

By the end of the day, CapMetro officials estimated 2,942 people rode the MetroRail the first day. The agency offered free rides during the first week of service.

MetroRail average daily (weekday) ridership per month:

• March: 2,106 (five of the eight days of service in March were fare-free)
• April: 901
• May: 775 (does not include the special Saturday service on May 1)
• June: 837
   

Total MetroRail ridership per month:

• March: 16,847 (five of the eight days of service in March were fare-free)
• April: 19,827
• May: 15,571 (does not include the special Saturday service on May 1)
• June: 18,421

The following numbers reflect the average daily ridership from each station in the morning and afternoon through June. 

         Morning                               Boardings                          Alightings (Those exiting trains)

• Leander station total     92                                            8
• Lakeline station total     91                                            3
• Howard station total       70                                          17
• Kramer station total       12                                           36 
• Crestview station total   22                                           27
• Highland station total     14                                           16
• MLK Jr. station total         14                                          62
• Plaza Saltillo station total 6                                           16
• Downtown station total    24                                        163
  Grand total                      344                                        348
  
  
  
          Afternoon                                     Boardings                    Alightings (Those exiting trains)
  

• Leander station total                            15                         107
• Lakeline station toal                              7                           84
• Howard station total                             15                           91
• Kramer station total                              38                          14
• Crestview station total                          31                          27
• Highland station total                           33                           16
• MLK Jr. station total                               63                          12
• Plaza Saltillo station total                     18                          13
• Downtown station total                       195                          29

Grand total                                                          416                        390


In an effort to increase those numbers, CapMetro officials are looking to enhance ridership initiatives. That includes possibly creating parking at the Kramer and Highland stations, which customers have requested.

CapMetro Marketing Manager Cynthia Lucas said they have a $230,000 budget set aside for the push to increase ridership numbers.

The transportation agency said a marketing campaign set to launch this fallÂ… is a great time to get to people before school starts. They are looking into traditional media pushes via radio, interactive, print and television - though TV ads will target solely Univision to reach the Hispanic market.

Door hangers including a ticket to ride the rail will also be part of the marketing strategy, which agency officials said proved successful before.

The agency will also seek out different audiences, such as that of University of Texas students, with a strong interactive campaign. CapMetro employees will be on Guadalupe Street to promote the rail for four weeks.

CapMetro Interim President and CEO Doug Allen also discussed a speaker's series to local businesses promoting the rail lines and its schedules.

Long-term ideas for boosting numbers include:

• Discussing schedule adjustments
• Possibly adding midday and Saturday service and possibly Friday night service

A VanPool to some businesses like IBM may also be in the works. That means employees could ride the rail, where there would then be a CapMetro van waiting to pick them up and drive them the remaining 4- to 5 miles to work.

The van would also take them back to the rail line after work.