GALVESTON, TEXAS – Island Connect, a commuter program administered by The Gulf Coast Center, has announced plans to expand park and ride services to Galveston from Victory Lakes, League City, beginning Monday, April 30, 2012. The first month’s shuttle service will be provided free of charge. Beginning Tuesday, May 29, a one-way fare of $3, $6 round trip will be charged.

A partnership between The Gulf Coast Center and UTMB, funding for the shuttle service is provided by the Federal Transit Administration and Texas Department of Transportation “Transportation Development Credits” through the Houston –Galveston Area Council’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Transit Pilot Program. The actual service is provided by Island Transit through an Interlocal Agreement between Gulf Coast Center’s Connect Transit and the City of Galveston.

Local support, in addition to commuter fares collected, is being provided by UTMB and the City of League City.

The first park and ride was started by The Gulf Coast Center’s Island Connect in Galveston County in 2009, and has been successfully transporting employees from a park and ride lot currently located at Mall of the Mainland to the Island since. The month of March, 2012, the Mall of the Mainland Park and Ride reported 4,204 boardings which is an increase of 1,022 boarding over the same period last year. The expanded service from Victoria Lakes will provide commuters with an inexpensive alternative to the increasing price of gas, a way to avoid morning and evening traffic congestion, and the opportunity to read, work or rest on the commute to and from Galveston.

A convenient morning and evening schedule, utilizing four new buses, begins at 5 am daily, each way, and include stops at UTMB Victory Lakes Town Center, UTMB Clear Lake Center, UTMB Victory Lakes Park & Ride, 25^th & Strand, UTMB Galveston, 20^th & Market St., and 47^th & Broadway.

Passengers may park in designated areas at lots located on the scheduled stops. Tickets may be purchase on the bus for $3 each way, and UTMB employees may purchase discounted books of tickets at the UTMB Bookstore. There is no charge to park. For detailed schedules, parking and stop locations go to www.gulfcoastcenter.org/connect_transportation or call (800) 266-2320 (409) 945-0820.