Hello Everyone!

EdgarRubio : Cost effectiveness and usage/popularity is the main issue, in my opinion...
How much does it cost to run an extra bus route, and how many people will be using that route?For example...what is the average cost per rider (total bus expenses divided by number of rides given)? if it costs $30 per rider per ride, that would be a major waste of tax money. If you could get it down to something like $2-$3, and it provided a major benefit to students/the elderly/the disabled, then it would be a major benefit to the community...I'm guessing the actual numbers are somewhere in between those two extremes...Is there any way to establish what kind of demand there would be (for example, in another community of a similar size, demographic, and economic status that uses this option)? And do you have any cost estimates?

Joe :
Thanks for the reply Joe, we hear your concerns. We are still working on the logistics, however, the price will be comparable to Houston Metro prices all around the city. We are working on partnering with them as of now, and a request to become a branch of their system is already in place.

EdgarRubio :
I'm not familiar with the prices Metro charges...but there's an additional cost to tax payers, in that Metro is tax subsidized, right?

EdgarRubio :
I think this would be a great idea Edgar! Cheap public transportation would revolutionize our community, and I believe it would be utilized by students and citizens alike.

The Woodlands trolley is kind of nice to get around town...not sure if there is enough established to traffic to justify such a thing in Kingwood.

EdgarRubio : Hello and welcome to the forum and please, join in the chatter!

StudentSolution: And by criminals.

At a PIP meeting some time back, HPD told us that bus routes inside communities bring criminals from outside the community. Especially to communities that are thought to have money.

I imagine that the buses would use the main routes in and out of Kingwood to reach Lonestar College which would mean traveling Kingwood Dr., Northpark or West Lake Houston Pkwy. Traffic on those thoroughfares is intolerable and increasing by the day, not to mention rush hours in the mornings and afternoons. If you add public transportation in the form of buses stopping every few blocks to pick up students and holding up traffic, the time it takes to exit or enter Kingwood will increase exponentially. Because I'm one of the lucky ones that has to endure rush hour traffic every day in Kingwood, which at times has taken up to 45 minutes from the back of Kingwood, I'm opposed to adding any more buses to our insufferable traffic woes.

I'm seeing alot of people saying public transportation brings criminals.... I know a lot of changes and things that have been added in and around kingwood that have brought criminals why no uproar over that ...

EdgarRubio : Are you talking about one bus or several buses? Our traffic is horrendous as it is I can't imagine adding buses into it.

I can't imagine that being welcomed by anyone. Bringing in unwanted public transportation to a community for a small number of people just doesn't seem worth the risk to safety and security of the community. Instead of adding Metro that will bring people from all over, maybe they could work with the college to get a private bus route that runs on a scheduled loop.

sweetie :
I see a lot of valid concerns about the risks of criminals and adding to the already busy traffic flow on Kingwood Dr., Northpark Dr., and West Lake Houston Parkway. Addressing the criminal concerns, the potential bus route will be around our community to increase traffic flow for businesses, and easy access for students, faculties, and the elderly. Having the bus route be on Northpark, Kingwood, and Westlake Houston will unlikely increase criminals or criminal activity if there wasn't any to begin with.
Regarding the busses adding to traffic. Bus stops will be in parking lots so there should be no problem of buses blocking any traffic. Having public transportation will promote less individuals driving on the road themselves. Not to mention less carbon emissions to our livable forest community.

QueenB :
Criminals go where they please, regardless of buses and public transportation. It isn't our job to filter out criminals, its law enforcements job, which has a heavy presence in Kingwood.