Houston public transit users can expect to see a little extra change in their pockets this month, as multiple transit agencies take part in Free Fare Fridays.
Transit agencies in Harris County, Fort Bend County, The Woodlands Township, and Conroe will offer free rides across all routes on Sept. 12, 19, and 26. The Conroe Connection, a bus service in the city of Conroe, will only offer free rides on fixed routes and paratransit routes.
“It’s great because it helps alleviate the congestion in the Houston region,” said Robyn Egbert, principal program manager with the Houston-Galveston Area Council. “Houston is one of the most congested cities in the United States, and it just provides an additional option.”
The program, which is in its second year, is piloted by H-GAC and aims to encourage those who normally drive to take public transportation and reduce traffic emissions that can lead to air pollution.
In Fort Bend County, Fort Bend Transit saw an uptick of 8,000 more rides, nearly 20%, between September 2023 and September 2024, when the program first launched. Similar numbers were seen in The Woodlands Township, Conroe, and Harris County.
“We live in an area that has an ozone quality concern, and one of the things we do is try to get people to ride public transit and get out of their own cars,” said Perri D’Armond, Fort Bend Transit Director, at the latest Fort Bend County Commissioners Court Meeting on August 26.
