Houston residents now have free downtown bus service.
Greenlink bus service, which began Monday in Houston, is a free service paid for and operated by Downtown District, BG Group and Houston First Corporation. Greenlink operates weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The environmentally friendly CNG buses roll along a 2.5-mile route that connects eight hotels, the George R. Brown Convention Center, the Central Library, Discovery Green, City Hall, Main Street Square and Houston Pavilions. There are 18 stops along the route.
Houston officials believe the Greenlink service will help revitalize downtown shopping as more residents and visitors shop in stores and eat in downtown restaurants.
In years past the Metropolitan Transit Authority operated a free downtown trolley shuttle, but that service was discontinued in 2005 after the agency imposed a 50-cent fare for rides the year before.