Transportation
BY GRACIE WARHURST
City programs could see higher costs, fewer hours Georgetown o cials are considering changes to public transportation programs rideGTX and GoGeo to address a budget shortfall. The overview GoGeo o ers services for residents age 65 and older, as well as limited services for those with a disability for $2 per trip through CapMetro. It is available Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. The rideGTX program launched in 2025 and provides users 10 vouchers per month for 24/7 rideshare services. Riders pay the rst $4 of the trip, and the city subsidizes the next $10. The user pays any amount after the subsidy. The city saw a steady increase in activity for the rideGTX program in its inaugural year, with over 2,000 total trips in December. At this pace, sta projected a funding shortfall of about $70,000 for the program for the remainder of the scal year.
New bus routes connect to downtown The Capital Area Rural Transportation Sys- tem will launch two new regional commuter bus routes March 2, o ering express service to downtown Austin. One route will serve Bastrop and Smithville, while the other will have stops in Georgetown and Round Rock. Learn more The rides will be free for a limited time, according to a Georgetown news release. The service is funded by Austin’s Climate Pollu- tion Reduction Grant program, supported by the Environmental Protection Agency. The new routes are intended to relieve heavy tra c on Hwy. 71, Hwy. 290 and I-35. “These routes are about getting cars o the road and giving people a smarter way to commute,” CARTS General Manager Dave Marsh said in the release.
Possible program changes
Reducing rideGTX service hours from 24/7 to 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Increasing rideGTX fares from $4 to $6
Capping the rideGTX program when its funding runs out
Combining rideGTX and GoGeo into one transit program
SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN COMMUNITY IMPACT
The action taken During a Feb. 10 City Council workshop, city sta suggested a number of changes to the programs, including reduced hours and increased fares as well as moving to a single transit program for scal year 2027-28 by combining GoGeo and rideGTX. Council members directed city sta to return with a plan that will combine the programs but allow exibility in hours and accessibility services.
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