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Jill CARTS Annual Performance Report Transportation Service Initiatives and Improvements in 1996 TVlzat was acheived in 1996? . In February, the new Chance Heritage Streetcars "trolleys" were placed into service. These replaced the leased trolleys that San Marcos Transit started with in June of 1995. The SMT fleet now consists of three 29' transit buses and two trolleys, all of which are fueled with compressed natural gas. . A commuter shuttle from San Marcos, Kyle and Buda to Austin was inaugurated in April. The service was dubbed the "Capital Loop Commuter". The route begins at the CARTS San Marcos Park and Ride facility on IH-35 and Aquarena Springs Drive, makes a stop in the BudalKyle area and delivers passengers to ten locations within the downtown business district and Capital Complex in Austin. The shuttle also connects with the Georgetown/Round Rock/Taylor Capital Loop route enabling transfer connections to and from those locales for San Marcos residents. Passes are sold by the month as well as one- way and roÙlld-trip daily tickets. . In June the SMT Express began providing curb-to-curb service for people in the community who are unable to access the regular SMT fixed route system due to a limiting disability. Trips can be scheduled anywhere from two weeks in advance to twenty-four hours in advance. Individuals must meet certain eligibility criteria in 'order to use this service. .. . Also in June, an SMT route change was approved and implemented. The former Aquarena Springs route had been performing poorly since the system's inception and was subsequently altered to include an area populated by a more transit dependant group. Ridership on the route jumped nearly fifty percent as a result of the change. . By the end of September six passenger shelters had been installed at strategic locations within the City. The shelters are attractive, functional, accessible and add another essential component to our goal of a comprehensive transportation system for San Marcos. Has the SiklT measured up to the expectations? . Statistically, in 1996, ridership increased fifty-one percent since the system went to full operation in October of 1995. Ridership increases, as described in the January 1995 operations plan to the City, were predicted to be ten to fifteen percent in each of the first two years of operation. . The firstfull year's average of 6.7 trips per vehicle hour is right on track with the operations plan's stated goal of seven to twelve trips within the first three years of service. Saturday ridership has never been as good as weekday performance and consequently tends to negatively affect overall figures. For example, with Saturday ridership and service hours omitted, average trips per hour goes up to 7.5.