Redrawing a Bus Map Leads to a Dramatic Increase in Transit Ridership

In one year, Houston increased its bus and light rail ridership by 6.8% with no significant additional costs. They did it by completely redesigning their bus network, focusing on creating an efficient network with frequent service. In August 2015, Houston implemented one of the largest bus network changes in U.S. history, moving from a hub-and-spoke model to a more grid-like system. This change eliminated many route redundancies and allowed the city to improve access to frequent bus service. The revamped bus network better compliments the city’s light rail system and fills a previously unmet need for more service at night and on the weekend. Now about 95% of Houston residents live within a quarter mile of frequent bus service.

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