Big things coming for The HOP with microtransit service

By PAMELA GRANT

Cove Leader-Press

The HOP is making big changes with their upcoming microtransit service.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Hill Country Transit District held a public information meeting at the Copperas Cove Library. The HCTD operates the current HOP bus service system. 

The HOP Assistant General Manager, Strategic Planning & Regional Development, Darrell Burtner, explained what a microtransit service system is, what it will look like in our area, and what other changes will be made during an information meeting at the Copperas Cove Public Library Tuesday at 4 p.m.

“We’ve been looking for a way to increase the quality of the ridership of The HOP,” said Burtner. “We are excited about this. I really think this will help us turn the corner.”

The new changes are expected to go into effect hopefully by June. They have already implemented a microtransit service on Fort Cavazos. The new system will affect Copperas Cove, Killeen, Harker Heights, Belton, and Temple.

The current system in the Copperas Cove area is a fixed route bus service, with exceptions for ADA services and non-emergency medical transport. 

The projected new system will provide on-demand services taking passengers from origin to destination in a manner similar to Uber or Lyft. 

Passengers will now be able to register with their new app (for more information check out www.takethehop.com ) then they can arrange for a van to pick them up at their address or another chosen location and choose their destination. 

Depending on a number of factors, other passengers may or may not be picked up along the way as the bus works its way to your chosen destination. Those that need wheelchair accessibility must indicate that need to ensure that an appropriately equipped bus is sent for the pickup. The same buses will be used for those with ADA needs, non-emergency medical transport needs, and the general public. 

The new system will allow any passenger to request pickup at any address within a bus’s UZA area.

They may bring back some fixed route services should a need arise.

There are also plans to change the fare structure. Currently, the base rate, in place since 2000, for the general public is $1 per ride and 50 cents per ride for seniors, those with Medicare, under 12, a student, or with a disability. 

With the new service, the general public will pay $2 per ride. Regional services, which come into play when crossing into a separate UZA area (or a separate region) will cost $4 per ride. Passengers may alternatively purchase a day, week, or month pass to ride as many times as desired during the purchased time frame. 

They are also increasing their hours of operation from 12 hours to 14 hours, running from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. during weekdays. On weekends and holidays, they will still only offer non-emergency medical transportation.

The HOP recently finished its pilot program of the project in Fort Cavazos which started in February. In one month, their total ridership was 3,840 people. The average wait time was eight minutes, 42 seconds. 99.17 of the rides were on time, DTP drop-off was 83.33 percent, and DTP pickup was 100 percent. 

They have since made changes to their system and the numbers have gotten even better with wait time, dropping to about 6 ½ minutes. From March 2 until March 12, ridership had increased to about 6,300. Feedback for the system in Fort Cavazos has been overwhelmingly positive.

“I think that it has very good potential,” said Lester McIntosh. “I’ll be able to go where I want to go when I want to go.”

Lillian Gonzalez said that she’s really looking forward to the new system. She says that it currently takes her about three hours to get from Copperas Cove to Temple or to Harker Heights which takes a lot of planning. 

Gonzalez said she currently gets up at 6 a.m. to make the 7 a.m. bus to get to Harker Heights by 10 a.m. Then she has to make sure to plan her time there accordingly to make sure that she doesn’t miss the bus and get stranded.

“I’m very excited about this,” said Gonzalez. “It’s a big improvement on what we have now.”

“I truly believe that this will be a game changer for the transit system in this region,” said Burtner.