Dozens of commuters who rely on METRO’s Star Vanpool program were left scrambling this week after the service was suddenly suspended.
Riders say they depend on the vanpool to travel long distances to and from work—and now they’re stuck with unexpected costs and limited options.
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Rodney Reddix, a vanpool rider from Pearland, travels nearly 104 miles round trip every day to get to his job at ExxonMobil in Spring. He reached out to KPRC 2’s Re’Chelle Turner and said not having access to the vanpool is a huge concern. He’s been using the vanpool service for 9 years and says it saves him $500-$600 a month.
He’s one of many frustrated riders who were notified Monday afternoon around 3pm that all vanpool vehicles were being pulled from service “until further notice.”
Below is the full emergency notification sent to riders on May 12:
Emergency Notification from METRO Star Vanpool:
“Dear Metro Star Vanpool Riders,
We are writing to inform you that, due to unforeseen circumstances effecting service operations, all METRO Star Vanpool vehicles must remain out of service until further notice. Please do not drive the Metro STAR Van effective immediately.
We understand the inconvenience this may cause and sincerely appreciate your patience and cooperation. Please be assured that logistics are currently being prepared to ensure all riders have transportation back to their original destinations.
We are actively working with the necessary parties to resolve this matter as quickly as possible and will keep you informed with updates as they become available.
We recommend contacting Lyft—either individually or as a group—for a ride back to your parked car at the close of business. You will need to make your own travel arrangements to and from work until further notice.
For additional assistance or questions, please call 713-224-7433.
Thank you for your understanding.”
On Tuesday, Turner followed up with METRO. They released a follow-up statement explaining that the disruption was caused by a lapse in liability insurance by the contractor responsible for the vanpool vehicles.
Full statement from METRO:
“The recent interruption to our METRO Star Vanpool service was due to a lapse in required liability insurance documentation from the contractor providing the Vanpool vehicles.
While this issue lies with the contractor, METRO holds the safety and well-being of our passengers as our highest priority. We have made the decision to suspend Vanpool service until the matter is fully resolved.
We are actively working with the contractor to address the issue and will resume service only when liability insurance has been reinstated. METRO remains committed to providing transit options to our customers, and we’ll hold our partners accountable so we can provide safe, reliable and accessible service for all.”
In the meantime, METRO says riders who had to arrange emergency transportation this week—such as through Uber, Lyft, or a taxi—can submit receipts for reimbursement through Friday.
Here’s how to request reimbursement:
Email: mailto:starbilling@ridemetro.org
Include the following:
- Name and mailing address
- Vanpool number
- Digital or scanned receipt for each rider
The billing manager will process claims promptly once all information is received.
If you have questions, METRO asks riders to call 713-224-RIDE (7433) or email star@ridemetro.org.
METRO says they’ll continue to evaluate the situation and are committed to restoring service as soon as possible.
Our Re’Chelle Turner is working on this story and will have a live report at noon.