Some important things could have been resolved at today's Metro board meeting, particularly the absence of a contract between Metro and an outside company to design and build four proposed light-rail lines, the cornerstone of future mass transit in Houston.Instead, we got wife-beating. It started when anti-Metro-zealot Tom Bazan told the board that he thought it was discriminating against poor people and minorities by minimizing bus routes in favor of rail. Board member Bishop James Dixon to
The price of bus tickets jumped by a quarter in November, to $1.25, and the increase was probably long overdue. Metro had gone 14 years without a hike.But a less publicized change that went into effect about a year ago has done far more to drain the pockets of some of Metro's regular customers -- the poor, and the social agencies that help them. Those agencies spend about $51,000 a month on bus tickets. Since the day pass was eliminated last January -- and, later, the discount charities receive
Photo by pfrench99The Federal Transit Administration released its final report on Metro's compliance -- and non-compliance -- with federal civil rights laws, and according to the report, Metro is still deficient in two areas, including not being able to prove that its November 2008 fare increase or recent service eliminations did not hurt minority or low-income riders.From the report:METRO remains deficient in this area because it has planned or implemented substantial new services during 20
