Austin, TX is working to create an incentive pilot program to increase transit ridership. The pilot comes at the request of the city council, which in December passed a resolution declaring the city had to find creative ways to increase transit ridership to combat increases in traffic congestion and the cost of car ownership.

The Austin Transportation Department (ATD) had worked with Capital Metro, the Innovation Office and the Equity Office to devise 15 proposed incentive programs for customers, and ATD recently narrowed the number to six. It presented the six ideas to the city council in a report.

The city council is expected to identify the final strategy and include it in the FY 2020 budget in September. Once the preferred program is announced, city staff and stakeholders will devise a timeline for implementation and piloting next year, ATD Project Manager Tien-Tien Chan told Smart Cities Dive.
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