FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — The Cavazos Connector recently marked its one-year anniversary, and it was a year that surpassed all expectations.
A pilot program and the only micro transit system operating on an Army installation in the continental U.S., the Cavazos Connector operates more than a dozen on-demand 15-passenger vans, as well as a central shuttle.
The program, which launched March 2, 2024, began with two years of secured funding through the Secretary of the Army to provide micro transit services to DOD ID cardholders on the installation.
The program is overseen and managed by Army Fielding Support Battalion-Cavazos and operated in partnership with Hill Country Transit District. Its success has been credited not only to the partnership, but also the way the transit system operates unlike traditional shuttle services on installations.
“We broke from the normal thought process of a shuttle on a military installation in working with Hill Country Transit and their subject-matter experts,” said Jerry Stephens, AFSBn–Cavazos. “They had this new concept called micro transit. They have been the key to this success.”
The program runs much like civilian rideshare programs, but without the charge to ride, Stephens said.
The Cavazos Connector provides curb-to-curb micro transit service to Soldiers, families, retirees and civilian workers across the installation. There is also a centralized shuttle service that runs between the Copeland Soldier Service Center, Carl R. Darnell Army Medical Center and the Marvin Leath Visitor Center, from which riders can catch a regional shuttle to off-post destinations.
The pilot’s availability to all DOD ID cardholders and ability to provide travel throughout the installation has attracted ridership beyond expectations.
“It was instantly successful,” said Derek Czapnik, director of operations, nonemergency medical transportation program manager, Hill Country Transit District. “It exceeded expectations the first month and continues to be that way.”
As an example of the success, Czapnik said the Cavazos Connector conducted over 15,000 trips in its inaugural month of operation. The number is even more impressive when considering Fort Cavazos leaders said they would be happy with 30,000 trips in the first year before it was launched.
Over the transit program’s first year, the vehicles traveled 530,815 miles, had 241,956 riders and maintained an overall 95% customer satisfaction rate and a 90% on-time rating, Czapnik said, averaging 533 riders per day.
The Cavazos Connector serves more passengers than many micro transit civilian services.
“We serve just over 20 passengers per service hour, Czapik said. “The national average is five to seven passengers per service hour.”
Ridership numbers are the biggest milestone for Czapnik.
“They exceeded all the metrics,” he said. “This is probably one of the most successful micro transit systems in the nation. It was an instant success and continues to be
that way.”
Stephens said single Soldiers and family members in single-vehicle homes are among the highest users of the system, but they also see a large ridership among retirees and the civilian workforce to attend meetings and appointments on the installation.
Hill Country Transit District provides Stephens and his team data to track ridership, mileage and other usage factors, and the installation provides feedback so both partners ensure the micro transit system is working.
“They have been phenomenal; there has been constant communication,” Czapnik said about the partnership between Fort Cavazos and Hill County Transit District.
Looking ahead, locating funding to ensure the future of the Cavazos Connector is top priority.
“Right now, we don’t have a promissory note from anybody that says we’re going to get a third year of funding,” Stephens said. “We’re doing a lot of senior-level engagements.”
The Army has many funding streams, “colors of money,” as Stephens called them, but there is no designated budget item for a micro transit system on an installation right now.
“The challenge with this shuttle is that it doesn’t fit into any of those colors of money right now,” he said. “It’s such a new approach that there is no funding stream that says this is how you pay for a Cavazos Connector-like shuttle service on an installation.”
There is some level of funding for bus transport or Soldier-shuttle services, but those services are restricted on where they can stop and who can ride.
It costs about $4.3 million a year to operate the Cavazos Connector, Stephens said, noting cost could be reduced.
“The reality is if we had dedicated funding, we could actually reduce the cost because we wouldn’t be doing short-term leases on vehicles,” he said.
“A funding source has been a number one concern,” Czapnik said, adding Hill County Transit District personnel have spoken with the Federal Transportation Administration, a main source of funding for public transportation across the country, but the Cavazos Connector does not lie within the public realm.
Still, Fort Cavazos and Hill Country Transit are exploring all avenues to ensure the Cavazos Connector remains funded and operational.
“I am looking forward to hopefully continuing with the service,” Czapnik said. “I hope it’s here to stay as long as it can.”
Rides can be scheduled up to two weeks in advance. There is no fee to ride the Cavazos Connector, but there are minimal fares to take the regional shuttles and services off the installation.
“We’ve definitely seen the success,” Stephens said. “Soldiers and families ride it.”
The Cavazos Connector runs 6 a.m.-8 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
Rides can be scheduled via The HOP app, which is available in the Apple and Google Play stores; by calling 254-933-3700; or online at takethehop.com.
Social Sharing