Local

MetroBus Local routes are intended to connect specific neighborhoods of Austin to Downtown Austin, with frequent stops. Since June 2014, north–south service within downtown Austin for all routes is provided via Lavaca Street northbound and Guadalupe Street southbound, with all routes serving at least one stop along both streets.

Prior to relocating routes to the Guadalupe/Lavaca corridor, many routes formerly utilized Brazos Street northbound and Colorado Street southbound before various construction projects took place. Since June 2014, the remaining lines no longer use Congress Avenue between 11th Street and Barton Springs Road. East-west service within downtown Austin for all routes is provided via 5th Street eastbound and 4th and 6th Streets westbound, so as to provide a connection along the Lavaca/Guadalupe corridor.

Some MetroBus routes are designated High-Frequency routes and operate with a headway of 15 minutes between buses weekdays, 20 minutes Saturdays. Routes as of January 2023^[update]:^[4]

Limited and Flyer

CapMetro's Limited and Flyer routes are limited stop services between two destinations. Limited routes tend to have fewer stops compared to their local counterparts, while Flyer routes serve nonstop between downtown or the UT campus and their neighborhoods of service. Limited and Flyer routes are designated by routes 100–199. Routes as of September 2021^[update]:^[4]

Feeder

CapMetro's Feeder routes are local services between a neighborhood and a major transfer point for connecting service. Feeder routes are designated by routes 200–299. Routes as of September 2021^[update]:^[4]

Crosstown

CapMetro's Crosstown routes are local services between two neighborhoods of Austin, for which the route does not pass through Downtown Austin or the University of Texas. Some Crosstown routes are designated High-Frequency routes and operate with a headway of 15 minutes between buses weekdays, 20 minutes Saturdays. Crosstown routes are designated by routes 300–399.

Round Rock

CapMetro operates several services in the suburb Round Rock. Round Rock is not a CapMetro member city and therefore doesn't pay the 1% sales tax to CapMetro. Instead, Round Rock contracts CapMetro to provide certain mass transit services for the city. Round Rock services are designated as 50-99 and 152. CapMetro also operates MetroExpress route 980 North MoPac Express and Flyer service 152 Round Rock Tech Ridge Limited between downtown Austin and Round Rock. Routes as of September 2021^[update]:^[4]

Night Owl

Night Owl buses are overnight services.

Other special services

Routes as of September 2021^[update]:^[4]

UT Shuttle history

CapMetro took over university shuttle operations in 1989. Formerly, service had been provided by private bus companies. Immediate changes included upgraded buses with air conditioning, but also lengthening headway on some routes.^[12]

In 1983, the University of Texas received six bids to manage the shuttle system. CapMetro entered into the picture in 1988, when the university contracted out to them. CapMetro, in turn, then subcontracted out to Laidlaw International, Inc., who had, up to that point, operated orange and white school buses^[13] for the university on a contractual basis. Rather than use Laidlaw's existing bus fleet, however, CapMetro used their own. In so doing, CapMetro brought air conditioning and wheelchair accessibility to the shuttle service for the first time.^[14] The transition, however, was not without controversy. Among the other contested issues was the fact that these new shuttles didn't have a stereo system^[15][16]

In 1991, CapMetro canceled its contract with Laidlaw and contracted out with DAVE Transportation, instead^[17][18]

Amidst allegations of union busting, in 1999, CapMetro canceled its then current contract and instead contracted out with ATC/Vancom, instead^[18][19][20] Six years later, in 2005, CapMetro, citing concerns over the comparatively low wages ATC/Vancom paid, negotiated a contract with First Transit to operate the UT shuttle buses.^[21]

UT Shuttle routes

The UT Shuttle system includes a number of routes during the University of Texas semester. They do not operate on Saturdays, except during finals. Since September 2014, numbered routes have been used exclusively at bus stops, though signage on buses may use either numbered or lettered signage.

Routes as of September 2021^[update]:^[22]

Dillo

CapMetro's Dillo service was a circulator service in downtown Austin. In May 2000, the Dillo service went through a major restructuring. It was shut down in 2009 after over 30 years of operation due to low ridership.^[23] The service used forest-green trolley buses with an armadillo painted on the side. It was free until shortly before to its closure when CapMetro began charging a 50¢ fare.^[24]

MetroAirport

The MetroAirport service (sometimes called MetroAirport Flyer) was created when Austin–Bergstrom International Airport opened in May 1999. It was primarily served by buses carrying the "MetroAirport" livery, though may on occasion have been served by buses in the regular livery. The service was eliminated on June 3, 2018, and replaced by the extension of 20.

E-Bus

CapMetro had, since September 19, 2002,^[25][26] operated "E-Bus" routes, to ferry students between student residential areas to the 6th Street area. These buses ran only evenings and late nights on weekends and did not run in summer.^[27] The E in "E-Bus" stands for "eating and entertainment" and funding was initially provided by companies advertising on the bus.^[28] On April 1, 2010, the Daily Texan reported that, in an attempt to curb passenger unruliness, CapMetro had required students swipe their student IDs before boarding and that UT would start paying for some of the services.^[29]These routes were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and were permanently discontinued on January 14, 2024.^[30]