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CapMetro sees 65% drop in ridership after stay-at-home order

By Matthew Quick
Published  March 26, 2020 12:25pm CDT
Capitol Metro
FOX 7 Austin
article

CapMetro

AUSTIN, Texas - Many area businesses are feeling the effects of the stay at home order issued for Austin-Travis County to stop the spread of COVID-19, including Austin's own public transit service. 

CapMetro received it's first set of ridership data since the order went into place and on March 26, the company saw a 65% decrease in overall riders. 

In specific areas of service, the company saw a more drastic drop in commuters. According to the company, only the MetroRail and MeroExpress services will continue to Manor/Elgin as other service ridership experienced a 90% drop in commuter travel.  

RELATED: Travis, Williamson counties are under stay-at-home orders

CapMetro says it still provides 40,000 essential rides a day and will continue to modify its services starting next Monday, March, 30. 

Travis, Williamson counties are under stay-at-home orders

The city said all are ordered to stay home unless you absolutely have to leave for essential reasons. All essential businesses like grocery stores, banks, mail services all can remain open for use.

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the company has teamed up with H-E-B to deliver over 7,500 Help-at-Home kits to MetroAccess customers so far. Newly hired cleaning crews have also started cleaning CapMetro vehicles and facilities throughout the day. 

CapMetro

RELATED: TEA Meal Finder

As ridership numbers drop, the company anticipates the U.S. House will pass HR 748 this week which will provide emergency funding provisions for transit. 

"As it is currently written, HR 748 apportions $25 billion for transit authorities across the nation. This would be the single largest appropriations package for transit in history and would provide significant relief to Capital Metro," The company wrote in a press release. 

Latest update from CapMetro: 

 CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST INFO ON THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

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