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.
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.
September 1, 1988 – UT Shuttle service begins under CapMetro.
December 5, 1990 – CapMetro hits the streets with cleaner natural gas buses.
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 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 Bus Rapid Transit (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.
2019 – CapMetro introduces its first fully electric buses
A New Era with Project Connect
(2020-Today)
November 2020 – Voters approve Project Connect, transforming Austin’s transit future.
October 2020 – New Downtown Station opens
January 2024 – Pickup Dove Springs Zone opens for service.
February 2024 – McKalla Station Opens (near Q2 Stadium)
Fall 2024 - MetroBike rebranded and upgraded to CapMetro Bikeshare
January 2025 – Pickup Decker Zone opens for service.
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
Alternative-fuel vans and buses: CNG & LNG as early as the '80s
Water-recycling bus wash system since the '90s
Ozone Action Day Free Rides in the '90s–2000s
Hybrid-electric and clean diesel buses in the 2000s
Zero emission buses debut in 2019