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Capital Metro allows bus riders to request drop-off locations between stops late at night

A Capital Metro bus approaches a bus stop.
Gabriel C. Pérez
/
KUT
MetroBus and MetroRapid riders can now request to be dropped off between regular bus stops after 9 p.m.

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Capital Metro is now allowing bus riders to be dropped off between stops during late night trips, so they can more safely and easily get to their destination.

The Courtesy Stop Pilot Program, which began Monday, is available on all MetroBus and MetroRapid routes every day after 9 p.m. Capital Metro says the program aims to help people who might be hesitant to use the bus system at night.

The program allows passengers to pick spots closer to their destination, so they don’t have to walk as much in the dark. A passenger could also pick a drop-off location with better lighting or sidewalks, so they’re more comfortable leaving the bus at night.

To request a stop, people need to tell the bus driver where they would like to be dropped off when they first board the bus. Then, when the bus is at the stop directly before the requested drop-off location, they should push a stop alert button or pull the cord, to signal to the bus driver the spot is approaching.

All courtesy stops aren’t guaranteed, though. CapMetro says bus drivers can decline the request if they think it’s an unsafe spot for a person to exit the bus.

Here’s an example of a request someone might make: A passenger on MetroBus Route 1 on North Lamar Boulevard requests to be dropped off at The Palms on Lamar apartment complex, which is between two bus stops.

A map shows a Capital Metro bus route with a drop-off location marked between two official bus stops.
Capital Metro

Marisa Charpentier is KUT's assistant digital editor. Got a tip? Email her at mcharpentier@kut.org. Follow her on Twitter @marisacharp.
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