TMD developed Connections 2025, rebranded Cap Remap, a 10-year network redesign for CapMetro. Cap Remap builds a reimagined transit network that optimizes the current bus and rail network, reverses the declining ridership trend, and integrates innovative mobility solutions that make public mobility more useful, convenient, and accessible in Central Texas. With a wide variety of land use types (from core urban to rural), several universities and college campuses, tourist destinations, and disperse job centers, meeting these various market needs and expectations through public transit required innovative ways of thinking about mobility. Development of a comprehensive understanding of existing market and service conditions guided Cap Remap in meeting the changing land use patterns and population growth in Central Texas. Transparent stakeholder and public outreach occurred throughout the project through “come-to-us” open houses, “go-to-them” pop-up events, and a variety of interactive online venues. The public called for a “frequency-first” approach in rethinking the public mobility, as well as a stronger, more direct network with integration of innovative mobility options.
The draft network plan included a new freeway running BRT service, conversion of the existing commuter-oriented rail line into an all-day, all-week service, an expanded network of Rapid Bus corridors, tripling of the frequent network largely within existing funding resources, and the introduction of innovative on-demand mobility zones/service options (TNCs) to replace low-performing service.
The process resulted in a complete, ready-to-implement plan that guides Capital Metro through detailed service changes within a five-year time frame, and lays out a vision for network success in the second five-year period. The Plan also included specific corridor investment of transit-preferential treatments such as dedicated lanes, queue jumps, and bus bulbs. The alternatives allow for phasing or scaling based on demand, and incorporate longer-term sustainable planning for future land use changes and regional network expansion.
CapMetro has experienced sustained 8-11% ridership growth for the past two years following implementation of Cap Remap, ending years of double-digit declines. After Cap Remap, 80% of CapMetro’s customers are now within a short walk of its high frequency bus network and about 40% of the area’s minority population is now within a 10-minute walk compared to 25% before Cap Remap.
