Community Impact reports that during their February 27th meeting the Conroe City Council okayed a new five-year contract with First Class Transportation to operate city bus services.
According to the agenda, the plan is to connect The Woodlands Express and Conroe Connection services to downtown Houston.
It’s a $2.1 million agreement. The agreement includes an option to extend it for an additional five years.
By the fourth year, a reduction of 70 percent in commuter bus costs is expected, which is because of grant funding that will help the city purchase the buses.
During the workshop meeting on February 26th, Deputy City Administrator Nancy Mikeska said the buses will run on compressed natural gas. The use of natural gas is expected to lower fuel costs and move toward the city’s sustainability goals.
The idea for the contract is to reduce the expenses for the city over time. In year one, the city will cover around $142,275 in costs, but by year five the expense is expected to lower to $41,255.
The meeting materials show savings of $122,797 in fare revenue.
