A program that offers free bus fares every Friday in September is introducing more riders to mass transit in some Houston-area counties — a trend officials hope will help relieve traffic congestion and decrease air pollution in the region.
The Houston-Galveston Area Council launched the pilot program in 2024 as a way to provide regional communities with commuting options. The council says the effort is paying off, with Harris County Transit, Fort Bend County Transit and Woodlands Express reporting modest ridership gains.
“Smaller transit companies really loved this program because it was an opportunity to really promote ridership and educate their communities that this existed because our congestion is so bad,” said Robyn Egbert, principal coordinator and travel-demand management supervisor of the council’s Commute Solutions program…