More than 650,000 people have used Valley Metro’s 20 routes in Starr, Cameron and Hidalgo counties combined.

The bus service operated by the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council is they're now working to expand services to Willacy and Zapata counties.

The proposed expansion comes after the Texas Department of Transportation awarded Valley Metro a $1.3 million grant for a two-year pilot program to create new bus routes

“That's what we heard from the community, we needed more service and they identified those route alignments — and now we have the funding coming our way,” Tom Logan, Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council director of regional transit, said.

Valley Metro is now working to get public input on adding the first ever scheduled bus route from Raymondville to Harlingen, with stops along the way in Lyford and Sebastian. 

The grant money from TxDOT would help cover the cost of hiring four additional bus drivers, gas and other operational costs.

The new route would have one bus assigned to Willacy County that would run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Monday through Friday.

Before any money can be released, Valley Metro has to first get the community's feedback.

“Part of receiving those funds is we need to have the public involvement process,” Logan said. “We need to hear from the residents of those areas to see how they are going to benefit, or what we should look into before we launch the services."

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