During the development of Sugar Land’s Mobility Master Plan and extensive public engagement efforts, the community has expressed the need to expand on the existing transit services that are available in the City. Public transit is an essential mobility mode offering critical connections for people to jobs, goods, and services. Local demand response services for people who cannot or do not drive a personal vehicle move people within a community who rely on the amenity to connect them with medical appointments, grocery shopping, educational or employment opportunities, and civic activities. These transit-reliant individuals are most often elderly, disabled, low-income, and/or live in a one-car household, and they deserve mobility options that work best for them and get where they need to go when they need to get there – just like anyone else.
 
That is why we have relentlessly worked to seek out grant opportunities to pilot the region’s first fully on-demand microtransit service. We were recently awarded funds to cover the cost for one year, with funding to support the pilot for two additional years, pending mutual agreement between H-GAC and the City. The federal funding for the first year of this service is $1,194,176.00 with a local match of $298,544.00, which will come from the Fort Bend County’s 2023 Mobility Bond. An interlocal agreement with the county is underway.
 
Microtransit offers a wealth of benefits to our community. Passengers enjoy affordable fares, typically around $2 per trip. As a shared ride option, it boasts a more sustainable footprint compared to personal vehicles, contributing to improved air quality and reduced traffic congestion. Microtransit will supplement the current commuter Park & Ride and Demand Response services provided by the county (Fort Bend Transit) by providing a day-of service with first-mile/last-mile connections to two commuter park-and-ride lots. Technology allows trips to be requested in real-time when a passenger is ready to go, with wait times of approximately 8-12 minutes. The vehicles roam in a small zone within the heart of the City that includes most commercial centers, area hospitals, the Sugar Land Regional Airport, the University of Houston at Sugar Land campus, and more. According to the 2020 Decennial Census, there are approximately 21,095 people aged 65 and over, 7,216 people who live in poverty, and 10,548 people who are disabled in Sugar Land, so there will continue to be a need for transit services. The Microtransit pilot will help better meet the needs of the public, offering an easy-to-use, safe, accessible, and convenient service for the residents and visitors of Sugar Land.
 
The Engineering Department is requesting that the City Council approve Resolution No. 24-42, accepting the CMAQ Grant through H-GAC and authorizing the City Manager, or his designee, as authorized grant official to execute all grant documents and implement the grant.