To 40 years of service and the next 40 years of progress.
We'd like to thank the community for riding and enthusiastically supporting our service so CapMetro can continue to expand public transportation access for central Texas. Enjoy a fare-free ride on all CapMetro services on July 1 to celebrate our anniversary!
Keep scrolling to take a journey through CapMetro's history.
The Early Days: Laying the Tracks (1985–1993)
January 19, 1985 – Central Texans vote to create Capital Metro, replacing Austin Transit Service.
July 1, 1985 – CapMetro launches service with local, express and paratransit routes.
March 31, 1986 – Vanpool (RideFinders) program hits the road.
June 12, 1986 – Downtown parade welcomes 100 brand-new CapMetro buses.
August 18, 1986 – CapMetro partners with City of Austin to purchase rail line from Llano to Giddings.
September 1, 1988 – UT Shuttle service begins under CapMetro.
1993 – CapMetro buses become 100% wheelchair accessible — ahead of the curve.
Innovation & Exploration (1994–2010)
February 15, 1997 – CapMetro tests light rail with a 2-week demo.
November 7, 2000 – A light rail vote falls short by just 2,000 votes.
November 2, 2004 – Commuter rail approved! The Red Line gets the green light.
October 2, 2009 – The iconic Dillo trolleys retire after 30+ years.
March 22, 2010 – The Red Line commuter rail officially launches, connecting Leander to downtown.
Modern Moves (2011–2019)
January 26 & August 24, 2014 – Launch of Rapid Lines 801 & 803, Central Texas’ first BRT lines.
June 6, 2017 – Pickup begins offering on-demand microtransit in neighborhood zones.
June 3, 2018 – Cap Remap overhauls 52 routes and doubles high-frequency service.
A New Era with Project Connect (2020–Today)
November 2020 – Voters approve Project Connect, transforming Austin’s transit future.
October 2020 – Station opens
October 2021 – Red Line Improvements
January 2024 – Pickup Dove Springs Zone added
February 2024 – McKalla Station Opens (near Q2 Stadium)
January 2025 – Pickup Decker Zone added
February 2025 – Pleasant Valley & Expo Rapid Lines begin service
June 2025 – CapMetro is a proud sponsor of Antone's 50th Anniversary
Driven by Sustainability
Here's how CapMetro has led the charge in cleaner, greener transit through the years
