Although the ConnectSmart program has been live for just over a year, we have closed out 2023 well on our way to achieving our goals of making Houston more connected and less congested. By using the app’s travel-friendly features, our 21,000 (and growing!) users have not only improved their and others’ every day travel around town, but have also helped make the Greater Houston region a healthier place to live and a safer place to get around. Here’s a snapshot of ConnectSmart’s accomplishments as we look back at 2023 and head into an exciting 2024!
A Shift Toward Sustainability
By using ConnectSmart to buy tickets for transit services, navigating on bike along the city’s High Comfort Bike Lanes, finding a carpool companion, and even working from home, our users have reduced the number of miles they’ve driven by an incredible 65,000 plus! That’s the equivalent of over 40 round trip road-trips across the great State of Texas!
A Breath of Fresh Air
Through the adoption of sustainable modes and alternative travel times, ConnectSmart users have reduced more than 53,000 lbs of CO2 from our air--for comparison, imagine adding 1,000 full-grown trees to Memorial Park last year!
Safety First!
Thanks to the app’s school zone speed warnings, ConnectSmart drivers have helped to keep our children safe around school campuses. Our users have also received more than 125,000 personalized travel, construction, and safety alerts notifying them of construction delays, flooding dangers, and other incidents, which helped them avoid dangers along their upcoming route.
Those messages included important safety reminders in support of TxDOT’s mission to #EndTheStreak of deaths on Texas roadways.
Giving Back
The ConnectSmart app was designed for Houston by Houston. Our team of developers, engineers, marketers, and customer service experts live right here in the community and are dedicated to giving back. We had a great year of visiting with the public at various fun events throughout town and listening to your challenges and successes in overcoming traffic.
As part of a weeks-long safety campaign supporting the Kailee Mills Foundation, $1 was donated to the organization for every trip taken by our users. The effort raised an incredible $2,500 to further promote seatbelt safety.
We were also proud to march in the 74th Annual HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade as an official transportation partner for the big event!
A Coveted Award
TxDOT Houston and partners were honored to be named the winner of the competitive American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) 2023 Francis B. Francois Award for Innovation in recognition of the groundbreaking Houston ConnectSmart mobility program and app.
We head into 2024 with a focus on helping even more people improve their travel options across the Greater Houston region. Stay tuned for more partnerships and innovative new features to help improve your daily travel.