In our forum, one of our commenters, Bill F, mentioned that Metro has stopped providing rodeo and football game shuttles so it can improve ridership numbers on MetroRail instead. That reminded me of a press release I saw on Metro’s site today:
Rodeo fans are encouraged to use METRORail or METRO’s convenient, reliable Rodeo Express shuttle service to the 2005 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.
[snip]
METRO Rodeo Express shuttles will be available at the Maxey Road Park & Ride, 515 Maxey Road at Woodforest. However, patrons using the Maxey Road shuttles will not be taken directly to Reliant Park. Instead, patrons of the Maxey Road site will be transported to the Fannin South Park & Ride lot where they will board METRORail to Reliant Park.
Of course, Maxey Road shuttle passengers won’t have to pay extra for the light rail fare, because that’s not Metro’s point — Metro only wants to increase body counts (ridership figures). As we all know, fare-checking is random, since Metro operates on an honor system.
UPDATE: I need to be clearer: Metro has not stopped all shuttles from going to Reliant, but is feeding passengers on the Maxey Road shuttles to the light rail. Thanks to Bill F for the heads-up.
