Capital MetroRapid
Capital MetroRapid is a bus rapid transit service in Austin, Texas, owned and operated by the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It currently consists of two routes which run north-south served by stations designed by McKinney York Architects.
Service on the first route, MetroRapid North Lamar/South Congress, began on January 26, 2014. It replaced existing bus Routes 1L/1M and the 101 Express, which traveled along the same corridor. Before the original Route 1 North Lamar/South Congress was split into 1L/1M in 2006, it was the busiest line in the Capital Metro system and peaked at 10 minutes headways Monday through Friday, with wider headways on the weekends. Route 801 serves 43 stations between Tech Ridge in North Austin and Southpark Meadows via the University of Texas and Downtown Austin.
A second route, MetroRapid Burnet/South Lamar, serves a total of 34 stations between The Domain and Westgate. It began operation during August 2014, but the original Burnet/Manchaca Route 3 remained in service at slightly reduced frequency.
Description and Headways
As both Routes 801 and 803 run north to south, each travels down North Lamar Boulevard and Burnet Road respectively, from their northern terminuses. Approaching the Guadalupe Street corridor, both share stops from 31st Street along Guadalupe into the UT area, The Drag and downtown. Both lines then diverge at Cesar Chavez Street, and the 801 and 803 continue along South Congress Avenue and South Lamar Boulevard respectively to their southern terminuses.Capital MetroRapid begins service at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday, with both lines operating high-frequency service of 10 minutes during the day, with early mornings and early evenings every 15 minutes; service ends at 12:30 a.m. Monday thru Wednesday and at 2:30 a.m. Thursday and Friday nights. On Saturdays, it operates from 6 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Weekend daytime headways consist of every 15 minutes, and seven nights a week, every 20 minutes.
Criticism
The premium fare structure recommended by a consultant caused problems for the agency. It did not collect as much money back from the fare increase as was originally expected. Other BRT systems in Texas such as San Antonio and El Paso intentionally priced their BRT system for local fare. The MetroRapid bus fare was lowered to regular bus prices on January 8, 2017The agency still experiences MetroRapid problems. People cannot easily get a connecting local route at the Domain MetroRapid station--their nearest local routes are on Burnet road. There are no 803 stations at the Arboretum even though the frequency of the 3 was reduced. The 803 goes into the Pickle Research Center during times/days the campus is closed as opposed to a station easily connecting with the 3 and the 383. Customers using the 801 at the North Lamar Transit Center must walk to the local buses, they do not readily connect to the covered shelters. The North Lamar Metrorapid station is not well lit and has physical steps which are not ADA compliant.
List of Capital MetroRapid stations
Route 801 - North Lamar/South Congress
north to south| Stop | Intersection/ address | Connections | Notes |
| Tech Ridge | 900 Center Ridge Drive | MetroBus 1, 52, 135, 243, 392, 935 CARTS | northern terminus Serves Tech Ridge Retail Center. Park and Ride |
| Chinatown | North Lamar Boulevard and Kramer Lane | MetroBus 1 | |
| Masterson | North Lamar and Masterson Pass | MetroBus 1 | |
| Rundberg | North Lamar and West Rundberg Lane | MetroBus 1, 324, 325, 481 | Serves Rundberg/Lamar Shopping Center |
| Fairfield | North Lamar and West Elliott Street North Lamar and Fairfield Drive | MetroBus 1, 481 | |
| North Lamar Transit Center | 7911 Research Boulevard | MetroBus 1, 323,350, 383, 481 | MetroRapid stop is located on the North Lamar southbound service road north of U.S. 183 intersection, within walking distance of transit center; both northbound and southbound buses stop there. |
| Crestview | 6920 North Lamar Boulevard | MetroRail Red Line at Crestview Station MetroBus 1, 7, 300 481 | MetroRapid stop is located on North Lamar at Airport Boulevard or Justin Lane |
| Brentwood | North Lamar and West Koenig Lane | MetroBus 1, 337, 481 | Serves Texas Department of Public Safety office |
| Triangle | 4600 Guadalupe Street West | MetroBus 1, 481, 990 UT Shuttle 656, 681 | MetroRapid stop is located on West Guadalupe at West Forty-seventh Streets Serves Texas Department of Health and Texas School for the Blind. Park and Ride |
| Hyde Park | Guadalupe at West Thirty-ninth Streets Guadalupe at West Thirty-eight-and-a-half Streets | MetroBus 1, 481, 990 | Serves Austin State Hospital |
| 31st Street | Guadalupe and West Thirty-first Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 481, 803 | |
| UT/Dean Keeton | Guadalupe and West Dean Keeton Streets Guadalupe and West Twenty-sixth Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 20, 105, 410, 481, 803, 982, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 640, 642, 661 | Serves University of Texas at Austin |
| UT/West Mall | Guadalupe and West Mall walkway Guadalupe and West Twenty-third Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 20, 105, 410, 481, 803, 980, 981, 982, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 640, 642 | Serves University of Texas at Austin, The Drag |
| Museum | Lavaca and West Seventeenth Streets Guadalupe and Seventeenth | MetroBus 1, 3, 18, 19, 20, 105, 481, 803, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 663 | Serves Blanton Museum of Art and Bullock Texas State History Museum |
| Capitol | Lavaca and West Thirteenth Streets Guadalupe and West Twelfth Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 20, 30, 103, 481, 803, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 663 | Serves Downtown Austin, the Texas State Capitol complex, ACC Rio Grande campus, Travis County Courthouse |
| Austin History Center | Lavaca and West Eighth Streets Guadalupe and Eighth | MetroBus 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 19, 20, 30, 103, 105, 111, 142, 171, 481, 485, 803, 935, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 663 | Originally called "Wooldridge Square" Serves Downtown, Austin History Center, Capital Metro Transit Store, Congress Avenue Historic District and Sixth Street. |
| Republic Square | Lavaca and West Third Streets Guadalupe and West Fourth Streets | MetroBus 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 17, 19, 20, 30, 105, 111, 142, 171, 483, 484, 486, 803, 935, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 | Serves Downtown, City Hall, Lady Bird Lake and Republic Square. Within walking distance of Austin Convention Center and Downtown MetroRail station. |
| Vic Mathias/Auditorium Shores | West Riverside Drive and Barton Springs Road | MetroBus 1, 7, 10, 20, 142, 483, 486, 935, 987 | Originally called "Auditorium Shores" Serves Auditorium Shores, Long Center, Palmer Events Center, Bat colony |
| SoCo | South Congress Avenue and East Elizabeth Street South Congress Avenue and West Monroe Street | MetroBus 1, 486 | Serves SoCo, Texas School for the Deaf |
| Oltorf | South Congress Avenue and East/West Oltorf Street | MetroBus 1, 300, 486 | |
| St. Edward's | South Congress Avenue and Woodward Street South Congress Avenue and Lightsey Road | MetroBus 1, 486 | Serves St. Edward's University |
| South Congress Transit Center | 301 West Ben White Boulevard | MetroBus 1, 310, 315 | |
| St. Elmo | South Congress Avenue and St. Elmo Road | MetroBus 1, 486 | |
| Little Texas | South Congress Avenue and Little Texas Lane | MetroBus 1, 486 | |
| Pleasant Hill | South Congress Avenue at William Cannon Drive | MetroBus 1, 201, 333, 486 | |
| Southpark Meadows | Turk and Cullen Lanes | MetroBus 3, 10, 201, 318 | southern terminus Serves Southpark Meadows Shopping Center |
Route 803 - Burnet/South Lamar
north to south| Stop | Intersection/ address | Connections | Notes |
| Domain | Alterra Parkway and Esperanza Crossing | MetroBus 466 | northern terminus Serves The Domain shopping center |
| UT Research Campus | Road A at James Hart Trail Road A at Clyde Davis Trail | MetroBus 466 | Serves J. J. Pickle Research Campus |
| Crossroads | Burnet Road and Polaris Avenue Burnet Road and Research Boulevard | MetroBus 3, 383 | |
| Ohlen | Burnet and Ohlen Roads Burnet Road and Penny Lane | MetroBus 3, 324 | |
| Northcross | Burnet Road and St. Joseph Boulevard Burnet Road and West Anderson Lane | MetroBus 3, 5, 323, 324 | Serves Northcross Shopping Center |
| Justin | Burnet Road and Justin Lane Burnet Road and Pegram Avenue | MetroBus 3 | |
| Allandale | Burnet Road and West Koenig Lane Burnet Road and Allandale Road | MetroBus 3, 337, 491 | |
| North Loop | Burnet Road and North Loop Boulevard | MetroBus 3, 345 | |
| Sunshine | Sunshine Drive and North Lamar Boulevard | MetroBus 5, 345 | |
| Rosedale | North Lamar and West Fortieth Street | MetroBus 5 | Serves Central Market, Central Park Shopping Center, Heart Hospital of Austin, Seton Medical Center |
| West 38th | West Thirty-eighth Street and West Avenue | MetroBus 3, 19, 335, 491, 982, 987 | |
| 31st Street | Guadalupe and West Thirty-first Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 481, 801 | |
| UT/Dean Keeton | Guadalupe and West Dean Keeton Streets Guadalupe and West Twenty-sixth Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 20, 105, 410, 481, 801, 982, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 640, 642, 661 | Serves University of Texas at Austin |
| UT/West Mall | Guadalupe and West Mall walkway Guadalupe and West Twenty-third Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 20, 105, 410, 481, 801, 980, 981, 982, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 640, 642 | Serves University of Texas at Austin, The Drag |
| Museum | Lavaca and West Seventeenth Streets Guadalupe and Seventeenth | MetroBus 1, 3, 18, 19, 20, 105, 481, 801, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 663 | Serves Blanton Museum of Art and Bullock Texas State History Museum |
| Capitol | Lavaca and West Thirteenth Streets Guadalupe and West Twelfth Streets | MetroBus 1, 3, 19, 20, 30, 103, 481, 801, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 663 | Serves Downtown Austin, Texas State Capitol complex, ACC Rio Grande campus, Travis County courthouse |
| Austin History Center | Lavaca and West Eighth Streets Guadalupe and Eighth | MetroBus 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 19, 20, 30, 103, 105, 111, 142, 171, 481, 485, 801, 935, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 UT Shuttle 663 | Originally called "Wooldridge Square" Serves Downtown, Austin History Center, Capital Metro Transit Center, Congress Avenue Historic District and Sixth Street. |
| Republic Square | Lavaca and West Third Streets Guadalupe and West Fourth Streets | MetroBus 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 17, 19, 20, 30, 105, 111, 142, 171, 483, 484, 486, 801, 935, 980, 981, 982, 985, 987, 990 | Serves Downtown, City Hall, Lady Bird Lake and Republic Square. Within walking distance of Austin Convention Center and Downtown MetroRail station. |
| Seaholm | West Cesar Chavez and San Antonio Streets West Cesar Chavez and West Streets * | MetroBus 3, 111, 171, 980, 981, 985 | *southbound temporary stop due to construction Serves Lady Bird Lake and the Central Library. Within walking distance of Amtrak station |
| Barton Springs | South Lamar Boulevard and Butler Road South Lamar Boulevard and Barton Springs Road | MetroBus 3, 30, 484 | Serves Auditorium Shores, Barton Springs, Long Center, Palmer Events Center, Zach Theatre and Zilker Park |
| Lamar Square | South Lamar and Lamar Square Drive | MetroBus 3, 484 | |
| Oltorf West | South Lamar and West Oltorf Street South Lamar and Oxford Avenue | MetroBus 3, 300, 484 | |
| Bluebonnet | South Lamar and Bluebonnet Lane | MetroBus 3, 300, 484 | |
| Broken Spoke | South Lamar and West Ben White Boulevards South Lamar and Brodie Oaks | ||
| Brodie Oaks | South Lamar and West Ben White Boulevards South Lamar and Brodie Oaks | ||
| Westgate Transit Center | 2027 West Ben White Boulevard | MetroBus 30, 105, 300, 311, 315, 318 | southern terminus Replaces original "Westgate" stop on Western Trails Boulevard near Westgate Mall |
New stops
The 801 and 803 started to stop at 31st and Guadalupe during the summer of 2018. The usual MetroRapid red shelters were not installed until October.Broken Spoke on route 803 and St. Elmo and Fairfield on route 801 were first shown as working stops on the maps issued in advance of the August 19th, 2018 CapMetro service changes. Rutland on route 803 and Parmer, North Loop East, and Slaughter on route 801 were first shown as working stops on the maps issued in advance of the January 6th, 2019 CapMetro service changes. However, Slaughter did not actually open until late 2019.
The southern terminus of route 803 was first shown as shifted to the newly-established Westgate Transit Center on the maps issued in advance of the June 2, 2019 CapMetro service changes.
In addition to the new stations, Capital Metro has started installing new departure boards at many MetroRapid stations. These boards are made by Luminator Technology Group and use electronic ink to show the departures of the next several busses. The new boards have many advantages over the dot matrix boards that were installed with the original stations, such as showing departures for not only MetroRapid busses, but also local MetroBus routes that also serve that station. The dot matrix boards at the stations where the new E-ink boards were installed were turned off and are no longer used.