HOUSTON – Each day, hundreds of thousands of people ride Houston METRO’s trains, buses, rideshare services and connectors inside METRO’s 1,300 mile service area.
Some riders use the system for their daily commute, while others might use it for special events like concerts or the rodeo. Now, there’s a brand new, streamlined way to use the system.
“We’re just trying to make it easier to get around Houston,” said Meredith Johnson, Executive Vice President of Communication for METRO.
“Mayor Whitmire came in and he said, ‘make public transit easy,’ and our board took that really seriously,” added Johnson, who said new technology is at the core of their new ecosystem.
From planning your next trip, tracking a bus, paying for your ride or even contacting law enforcement to alert them of a problem or submit a complaint, the new Ride METRO app combines many services into one.
For customers who still prefer to pay with cash, METRO Fare Cards can be purchased or refilled using vending machines on rail platforms or with a customer service agent at a METRO Ride Store location. You can now also tap credit cards, a digital metro card, or use Apple or Google Pay.
Once you’ve tapped in with your METRO Fare Card, you can transfer in the system for up to three hours. There’s also a new rewards program when using your digital Metro Fare card in the app. Buy 10 rides, get the 11th ride free.
No matter where you’re going or how you want to pay, there are now more options than ever when you hop onboard METRO.
“We have to get back to the basics and make sure it’s easy to use, it’s clean, it’s safe, it’s reliable, it’s accessible,” said Johnson.
“Houston is not getting any smaller, traffic is getting worse. Come give us a try,” she added.
The new Ride METRO app is already available for use. Learn more at ridemetro.org.