Capital Metro: Mass Transit, Mass Confusion

By: News 8 Austin Staff

Click on the image to view the history of Capital Metro in photographs.

Over the past 25 years, Capital Metro has come to lose public trust. They've gained a bad reputation from how they've handled their money, employee relations and communication.

Officials with Capital Metro say they're looking forward and fixing problems that have been wrong for so long.

"We have to be looking forward and not continuing to look backwards," interim CEO and President Doug Allen said. "I think we need to be looking forward and looking at what we're doing today and judging it based on what we're doing today."

Capital Metro Budgets and Reviews:

•Capital Metro FY1985 Budget (Their first one). •Capital Metro FY1986 Budget. •Capital Metro FY2010 Budget. •Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Peer Review of Capital Metro •Capital Metro's Response to CAMPO Peer Review. •Capital Metro's self-evaluation report to the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission (First of a multi-stage process).

In 2009 the Texas Legislature made some strict changes to Capital Metro. One of the changes requires them to turn their reputation around.

Mike Martinez is Chairman for the Board of Directors with Capital Metro. He said the problems have piled on top of one another and added "layers" of problems.

"It's very hard to remove those layers. What we are going to try to do is peel all of the layers back and look at all of the ugly parts that we have at Cap Metro and get to work on it right away and turn it around," he said.

News 8's Bob Robuck took an in-depth look at Capital Metro. He found out where most of the problems originated and what they're doing to fix it. Over the next week you'll be able to catch a re-cap of each piece of the puzzle as it unfolds.

As you watch the series, Robuck asks you keep in mind that Capital Metro works for you, the taxpayer.

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CAPITAL METRO TIMELINE:

January 19, 1985 -- Voters approve one-cent sales tax to fund Capital Metro buses running on Austin streets

Later in 1985 – Voters approved service expansion for areas outside of Austin

1989 – Capital Metro Board of Directors voluntarily lowers sales/use tax to .75-cents

1995 – Capital Metro Board of Directors reinstate one-cent sales/use tax

1997 – FBI investigates Capital Metro

1997 – State Comptroller John Sharp audits Capital Metro

May 1997 — Texas Legislature changes structure of Capital Metro Board

2000 – Voters turn down light rail

2004 – Voters approve Capital MetroRail

2005 – Union strikes against StarTran over contracts

2007 & 2008 – Union strikes against StarTran over contracts

Fall 2008 – Original Capital MetroRail start-up date

2009 – State approves legislation to change structure of Capital Metro Board of Directors

2010 – Capital MetroRail service expected to be up-and-running by first quarter

2012 – Capital Metro Rapid Bus service expected to be operational

It's important to note that Capital Metro has undergone many changes. These changes have mostly been recent.

Capital Metro has completed their self evaluation. Now the Sunset Commission will be conducting meetings and hearings with the agency. They'll come up with a plan Capital Metro must implement to help with fixing issues internally and externally.

The Sunset Commission recently reviewed Houston's mass transit system. Lawmakers said the move has increased their transit system's operations greatly.

As of January 2010, the structure of the Capital Metro Board of Directors changed significantly. They're looking to get the rail back on track by the first quarter of 2010.