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Explorer Bus Sells Passes to Football Fans
Wednesday, September 19, 2007 3:10 PM

  

This Sunday, METRO's Explorer Bus will be stationed at Fannin South Park & Ride, selling round-trip rail passes to the fans parked there for the Houston Texans game. Close-up of football and feet

This will be the second time our Explorer Bus, a mini RideStore on wheels,  has been to where the football fans gather.  The first was on Sept. 9, where we sold about 1,195 round-trip passes at $2 each.

"Most of the crowd  were like, ‘Oh, I'm glad you're out here.' They were very excited about it. They were happy about the rail. The machines were OK, but when the lines are long, they need people out there selling tickets," said Virginia Hickey, team leader of METRO's RideStore/Lost & Found, who was there selling tickets with her colleagues, Gwen Rogers and Sandra Garcia.

Hickey said last year, the crowd waited up to 90 minutes to buy a rail pass. This year, she and her staff worked the line, offering to sell people rail tickets, bypassing the machines.

"It was quicker for us to be mobile and out there, and sell them to the groups that come in," said Hickey.

Commuters lugged their ice chests and food aboard the train for their tailgate parties at the Reliant parking lot, said Hickey.

Some of the commuters were upset at the $10 event parking fee (the lot normally costs $2.50 to park) - but Hickey explained that the charge wExterior of Explorer Bus at Cypress Park & Rideas determined by Amco, the operator of the lot.

The Explorer Bus was also used recently at the recently opened Cypress Park & Ride garage to sell pre-loaded Q Cards, as indicated in the photo on the left.

If you're going to the game this Sunday, you can save time and buy a round-trip rail pass at METRO's Explorer bus from 9 a .m. to 1 p.m. at Fannin South Park & Ride.

 

Posted by Mary Sit
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    • Comments

    Dominic Mazoch said:

    Speaking of parking at FS, METRO should have some sort of agreement with the parking lot people so one can use Q to pay for parking.

    # September 19, 2007 3:45 PM

    Cedric Collins said:

    ...."as you can see in the photo on the left."  Ummm---what photo to the left?  Unless the photo was stolen by a ghost, it's not here.

    # September 20, 2007 8:41 AM

    Mary Sit said:

    Sorry, Cedric. I tried to correct a typo using a different brouser from home, and the photos disappeared! It's fixed now.

    # September 20, 2007 9:21 AM

    Cedric Collins said:

    No prob, Mary.  Now---about my "inquiries?"  I'll e-mail you about that later.

    # September 20, 2007 9:23 AM

    Casey56 said:

    ". . . Some of the commuters were upset at the $10 event parking fee (the lot normally costs $2.50 to park) - but Hickey explained that the charge was determined by Amco, the operator of the lot. . ."

    It's not unreasonable for the rate to be set by the demand, but blaming it on AMCO isn't satisfying to this reader; doesn't METRO have some control over the rates?

    Perhaps this blog sometime can discuss the rate structure and business interrelationship for the Fannin South parking lot.

    # September 20, 2007 11:41 AM

    Don Gallagher said:

    Casey56 said:

    "It's not unreasonable for the rate to be set by the demand, but blaming it on AMCO isn't satisfying to this reader; doesn't METRO have some control over the rates?

    Perhaps this blog sometime can discuss the rate structure and business interrelationship for the Fannin South parking lot."

    Excellent idea Casey. You are aware that Metro owns the land that Fannin South parking is on? I believe also that they paid for the construction work as well but would like that clarified also?

    What I would like for Mary to research and respond back on is how much revenue the parking lot generates per day/year and separate out the regular rate from any special event rates. In addition, how much of that revenue goes to Metro versus AMCO.

    Thank you in advance for researching it for us Mary.

    # September 20, 2007 4:48 PM

    Mary Sit said:

    Casey56 & Don G:

    Good idea for a post. I'll work on this.

    # September 21, 2007 9:32 PM

    nchooper said:

        I want to be clear on my understanding of the above article: So if the Texans are playing at Reliant Stadium on the same Sunday that the Bayou City Fall Festival (or any other festival) is being held - and I want to take the train to the festival - then I'll have to pay $10 to park on that Sunday? (even though I would pay the usual 2.50 if I'd gone on the day before on a Saturday?

        (I've had two conflicting experiences with this. The first time, I explained that I was NOT going to the game, but the festival instead, and he motioned me to go to another line, and I paid $2.50. Another year, I got different results. This guy "wanted" to charge me $10, but I left in a huff, and I drove to the festival, parking on the street.) Which way is it really going to be??? Thanks in advance for the clarification.

    # October 11, 2007 2:55 PM
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